Tribulations of Twilight
by Kyoun
Summary: The day she left, his mind was a blurry haze. When told of dark tidings, he finds a pillar of strength to stand and fight for what, or who, he loves. LinkxMidna
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Okay, I'm rewriting this story, from chapter 1. I hope you all enjoy it, with all that I'm going to add in, now._

_For new readers, Hi. This is going to be a little more of a novel than my first story, and I'm going to pour all I can into it, and I hope you stick along for the ride._

_When I talk about locations in Twilight Princess, I'm talking about the Wii Version._

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**Tribulations of Twilight**

Chapter 1

Link walked aimlessly in Western Hyrule Field. His thoughts were clouded with misery, pain, and sorrow. He couldn't bear it. _She_ had left forever, and he didn't do anything about it. He had lost her twice now, and there was nothing he could do.

The rain came down hard, as he fell to his knees. It had been a week, and he bottled up his feelings. He just ran. Ran from the pain, but he couldn't leave it resting forever.

He fell forward, but his hands rescued him, as he leaned on his outstretched arms. He recalled what had happened what had seemed like yesterday, but in reality, was a week ago.

XXXXXXX

_Link stared at the platform, unable to think clearly. His whole world was crumbling into rubble around him, nothing remaining. He wanted to scream that he loved her before she left, but his voice was lost. He was too afraid, that what she was trying to say wasn't what he had thought, and that this could ruin them forever._

_But he knew now, that he had lost his chance forever, with no hopes of actually telling her how he felt. She dispersed into white particles, and left forever. He slowly walked to the mirror, but he didn't make it._

_He fell onto his knees, and gripped his temples, shaking his head furiously. He let out a sheer cry of anguish, but his feelings were bottled up inside, never to be heard. He slowly stopped shaking his head, and looked forward. He saw a shard glimmer in the setting sun. It couldn't be longer than six inches. He reached out, grabbed it, and looked at it._

_Zelda watched, biting her thumb, watching the hero. She walked toward him, and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. But suddenly, he threw her hand off, surprising her. Then, he ran._

_Link had no idea what he was doing, he didn't want to talk to anyone, he just ran. He ran through the Arbiter's Grounds, and exited the entrance before mounting Epona, and running off into the desert._

XXXXXXX

He couldn't hide anything anymore. He pounded the ground repeatedly, until his fist was bleeding. The rain came down hard, as if answering his feelings. He yelled at the top of his lungs, his shattered voice piercing the air, as he screamed.

"DAMN! IT! ALL!" He screeched.

Link heard thunder in the distance, as he turned his gaze ahead. '_I didn't do anything! I didn't stop her... I couldn't tell her how I feel! Why had I been so afraid! Now I lost her forever! Some Bearer of the Triforce of Courage I turned out to be!'_

He stood up, and walked along Hyrule Field.

XXXXXXX

Link didn't know how long he had been wandering, he only knew that his provisions were running low, and that his water was nearly gone, and that somehow he was on the Bridge of Eldin, and that the sky was cleared, and it was nearing the Hour of Twilight.

Link sat on the bridge, and stared into the Twilight, the Belt of Venus, and the Earth's Shadow. The dark orange and amber hues, with the purplish streak brought a temporary calm to Link. But, like everything else in Hyrule, it just reminded him of _her_.

He felt like everything was taunting him, as if screaming, _"Hey! Remember this? You were here with her!"_

Link felt his Triforce pulse, as he looked at it. It was glowing a radiant gold, as he felt another pulse. He felt rage build within him. Link felt as if his life was just being used to do the Goddesses dirty work. He also remembered what Zelda had said at the mirror chamber, _"...It was the Goddesses design that we should meet..."_

That just pissed him off. _Going by her logic, I was destined to fall in love with Midna, then have her shatter the damn Mirror! Do they find this funny? Do they enjoy their hero's pain!_He savagely thought.

He shook with unspeakable pure rage. Little did he know, his Triforce was reacting to his feelings, and suddenly, it glowed a very violent crimson. Link fell to his knees, his rage, his pain, his sorrow, and his regret all coming together, to form a very powerful feeling within him.

Link felt everything build up inside him. He let out a hysterical war-cry, and slammed his left fist against the bridge, emitting a shock wave of pure energy. The bridge collapsed under the sudden release of the power, leaving Link to fall into the ravine.

XXXXXXX

From inside the castle, to Princess Zelda's chambers, she watched the west with a growing fear. Her Triforce of Wisdom was telling her to go to the Bridge of Eldin. Her right hand was clenched over her left, trying to shut up the Triforce of Wisdom, for she didn't want to believe what it was telling her. But the words of undeniable wisdom were seeping into her mind, until she gave up. She immediately fled her room, down the stone corridors and into the main hall, in search of the Captain of the Guard.

As Zelda entered the main hall, and down the recently-repaired flight of stairs, she found the Captain in his steel-plated body armor, with his red cape signaling his position, yelling at two quivering guards for slacking off. She overheard him yell, "You two are a disgrace! The Knights of Hyrule would be ashamed of this filth before me!"

Zelda approached the three, before clearing her throat to grab their attention. The Captain turned around, and saw the Princess standing before him. He turned his head at the two guards, and barked, "Dismissed. We'll discuss your _punishments_ later."

The two guards quickly shuffled away, while one of them dropped their helmets and tripped on it. He shakily stood up, grabbing his helmet, before running off, leaving the Captain to slap his forehead with a metal hand in disgust. "Recruits..." He mumbled, before turning around back to Zelda, as he knelt. "What is it, your Highness?" He asked.

"Captain Mikhail, there's no time for formalities, the Hero of Twilight is in dire need, I need you and some others to assist me to the Bridge of Eldin!" She quickly ordered.

Mikhail rose, before stating, "Yes, of course. I shall grab five of my finest soldiers, and I shall ready your horse."

XXXXXXX

Link slowly awoke, feeling pain and exhaustion all over his body. He tried to move, but pain shot from his right arm, and he grunted from pain, his left hand flying to his arm. He looked at it, and found it to be broken. He sat up, and looked around, and found it the ravine to be very dark, and lonesome. He slowly rose to his feet, and tried to navigate through the ravine. He slowly wondered how much time had passed, and found it to be nightfall.

Link sighed, before he continued to walk along the ravine. He felt very cold, which was unusual in every sense of the word. '_When I'm usually injured, my Triforce heals it over time, and I have this sense of warmth radiating from it... So, why isn't it healing me?'_

He ran the events that occurred in his mind, and suddenly, an idea dawned on him. _'Wait, the bridge!' _He recalled slamming his fist against the bridge. _'My Triforce... Did it really do that...?' _He thought. Link ran the events in his mind over and over, and found there to be no other explanation, aside from an assassination attempt, which was possible, but it was unlikely.

Link continued to travel along the ravine, for what seemed like hours. He didn't feel his Triforce doing anything about his broken arm, either. The exhaustion was too much, and Link fell to his knees. _'So, this is it, huh? I'm going to die down here... Maybe... One day, I'll find her there...'_

Link crawled to a wall of the ravine, to rest. He thought about her, and how he wished he was with her right now, by her side. But reality was cruel, and here he was, sitting in a ravine battered and broken.

He wondered how many lives he had taken along his journey. Link thought it was pretty ironic that he would die this way, when not a single creature could bring him down. No, he thought it was ironic that among all the things he had beat, everyone he had killed, that one single person – a Twili, no less, would bring him down. Bring him down indeed, to the bottom of a ravine. He chuckled to himself at his own dark humor.

Link heard faint footsteps, and looked in the direction from which they came. He saw a man walk toward him with sandy blonde hair, hazel green eyes, black sleeveless shirt, black pants, and black leather boots and a Claymore across his back. Link noticed a black pentacle tattoo on his arm. He was carrying a Lantern, as he walked toward Link.

Link looked at the new arrival with an intimidating look with his dull, lifeless sapphire eyes. "No need to be hostile, Link. I am a friend."

Link looked at the stranger suspiciously, before he knelt next to Link. "I am sorry in advance, Link." He murmured. Link looked at him strangely, before his hands shot out, grabbed Link's right one, and pulled while twisting. A sickening crack filled the air, while Link grunted in severe pain.

The stranger let go of Link's hand, and turned his hazel-green gaze into Link's sapphire. "Sorry." He apologized again. "It had to be done. Your right arm was dislocated, so I had to relocate it. Here, this will heal it and ease the pain."

The stranger held Link's arm with both hands, and closed his eyes in concentration. "What are you...?" Link asked in pain, but then he saw the pentacle tattoo glow silver, and suddenly, his arm glowed the same color, and he felt the pain ease, until his arm didn't hurt anymore.

Link looked surprised. As the stranger removed his hands from Link's arm, he moved it around, feeling no pain or restraint whatsoever. "Thanks, but how did you..?" Link inquired, before the Stranger cut him off. "Heal it? Simple. I used magic."

Link looked at the man curiously. "Who are you, anyway?" Link asked.

The stranger sat across from Link, staring into his eyes, as if searching for something. "I am Zeke."

"How do you know magic?"

"All Hylians are born with a sense of magical prowess. It just takes time to utilize it, and expand it."

Link scratched his head. "I don't know a lick about magic."

"That's a problem. You have a Triforce, which should amplify your magic to remarkable levels."

Link began to grow suspicious. "And how would you know?"

"I have my sources." Zeke answered monotonic.

Link sighed. He guessed that if he pressed, he would just get nowhere. "Well, magic has nothing to do with me, anyway." Link got up, and began to walk away, trying to figure out where to go.

Zeke got up slowly, still gazing at Link. "_She _is in danger, you know."

Link stopped dead in his tracks, and slowly turned around, "What...?" He murmured

"_She_ is in danger. You know who I'm talking about."

Link felt his stomach back flip. He raised a hand to his temple, shuddering. He slowly looked at Zeke, "Midna...?" He whispered, just enough for Zeke to hear.

"Yes." He confirmed.

Link grew angry, and started to yell at Zeke. "How the hell would you know! How the hell would you know _ANYTHING_! You're just a stranger I just met, and yet you come all this way, and tell me that Midna's life is on the line! Just who the hell are you!"

Through Link's yelling, Zeke stayed calm, and folded his arms, as if he did this every day. "I know this through the Goddesses, Link."

Link felt something in his head snap. "Oh, so they tell _you, _but not their damn chosen hero!"

Zeke raised his voice a little, "They can't, your anger and sadness is clouding your Triforce, they can't even _reach_ you! Right now, you've made a self-made force-field, repelling everything and everyone! Now be quiet, and let me explain, OR ELSE SHE WILL DIE, AND HER BLOOD WILL BE ON YOUR HANDS!"

Link flinched, as if he had been struck. Zeke spoke again, in his usual calm voice, "Now then, the Goddesses called upon me to tell you that an ancient organization has showed themselves. These people are known as the Templar, and they have one goal; Complete Annihilation of both realms. Only you can stop it, and I need to build you up so that you can."

Link looked strangely at Zeke, "Is that a challenge? I can assure you, I'm the best swordsman in all of Hyrule."

Zeke said nothing, but he unfolded his arms, and drew out his claymore. It shined in the lantern's light, with a steel blade, and a black handle with a silver jewel crested in the hilt. His tattoo glowed the same silver once more.

Link looked dangerously at Zeke, before he drew out his Master Sword, and Hylian Shield, and got into his stance. Zeke charged at Link, holding the claymore with both hands, as he swung it horizontally. Link blocked with his Hylian Shield, as he saw sparks fly from the collision. Link sliced with his blade, but Zeke was quick, despite his sword's weight, and blocked it with ease, before he unleashed a fury of slices with the Claymore, but Link was no newbie. Link swiftly dodged, and blocked the attacks, while he back flipped and dodged a horizontal strike. Link vertically swing his blade, and Zeke horizontally blocked, and the two became locked in place, each fighting against each others strength. Suddenly, Zeke's tattoo glowed brightly, and a shock wave fired out, sending Link flying, as he dropped his sword and shield. The Hylian Shield hit the ground with a loud _CLANG_, While the Master Sword struck into the earth 3 feet away from Link, as the Hero slammed against the ground, rolled, and lay on his stomach.

Zeke put the claymore back on his back, and walked toward Link, extending his hand. Link groaned, before looking up and seeing the gesture. He took up on it, and got pulled to his feet by Zeke, before asking, "What the hell was that?"

Zeke seemed to have a shadow of amusement on his face, before he answered, "Magic. Indeed, I forfeit when you say you're the best in swordplay, but it will take more than swordplay to defeat magic. When you're up against a magic user, you need to use magic. You ever hear the saying fight fire with fire?"

Link nodded his head. There was a silence between the two warriors, before Zeke broke it, "You're wondering how we're going to get there. Don't worry, we have at least four years until things start to heat up in the Twilight Realm. And believe me, even with your Triforce, harnessing magic will take a while. But, you have to promise me one thing."

Link looked at his counterpart, waiting for him to continue.

"For these upcoming years, you will recluse yourself from society. You will never be found, never be seen, and never be heard. To everyone in Hyrule, you will be dead. Am I clear?"

Link thought about this. He didn't have a choice, but he couldn't come in contact with anyone? Not a living soul, save for Zeke? '_It's going to be hard, but I have to do this to save her, if what Zeke is telling me is the truth.'_

Link looked at Zeke, a bearing determination in his eyes, as he slowly nodded. He felt his Triforce radiate heat, as if it agreed on his decision.

XXXXXXX

Zelda looked at Castle Town from her throne room, bags under her ocean-blue eyes. She had not slept well these past ten weeks, for no sign of Link was ever to be found. She would have to face it – He wasn't going to be found. Not anytime soon, but she held onto the shred of ignorance that he was still alive somewhere. Despite all of the evidence that he was dead, she wouldn't believe it. Mikhail slowly walked toward Zelda, a grim expression on his face. He held his helmet under his right arm, as he let his jet-black spiky hair fall over his face, as he looked at the Princess with his emerald green eyes, before kneeling.

"My Lady, it may be time to come to the conclusion that Sir Link, is dead."

Zelda stiffened, as she looked at the newly-promoted General of the Guard. "And what evidence do you have, pray tell me, that would support that _theory_?"

Mikhail looked to the floor, as if he didn't want to say it. From his back, he drew out a metal object. From one look at it, Zelda gasped, and found it hard to breathe.

It was the Hylian Shield that Link favored. It was torn up in many places, and at the center of the shield, was a large hole. Some parts were also black with soot, but Zelda didn't want to think about that, she didn't want to think about anything. At that moment, she just wanted to crawl up into a ball, and sob the world away.

"My Lady... Link, of Ordon, no... Link, of Hyrule, the Hero of Light and Twilight, is dead."

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It had been a long, unbearable, four years. The magic training was hard, and Link barely made through it all, but he began to understand it as a Master would. Zeke knew that Link would eventually best him, but in four years? That just made Zeke feel bad, for it took a lot longer for him. But he knew everything would turn out alright, for the Goddesses were on their side. Zeke remembered a hard point along the way, like how on the tenth day, Link accidentally lost his concentration, and a Backlash emitted, giving Link a brand new scar that extended from the top of his right eyebrow, across his nose, and to his left cheek. But if Link really had wished it, Zeke could have made it disappear like a bad hangover. But, he kept it as a reminder. Now, Zeke and Link looked at Hyrule Castle from Western Hyrule Field.

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Link and Zeke were wearing long black cloaks, and both of them had the hood on. It was time to come out of hiding, and into the world. Link missed the surface, but he trained everyday so that he could see it again, as a brave warrior. He missed his Hylian Shield, and on that day Zeke and him were sparring, the Hyrule Guards _had_ to come by. But, he learned to do without it, but he was certain he was going to get it back, and repair it with his newly-acquired skills, courtesy of his Triforce.

The Link looked at Zeke, who gave a confirming nod, and the two walked to Hyrule Castle.

XXXXXXX

The two walked past the gate, and into the crowds. It was busy as always, just like Link remembered it. Though, the buildings all had flowers decorating the doorway, and some were talking about the incident four years ago, as if lamenting on it. He couldn't fathom why, was today a special day? He didn't know, but the two warriors walked on. Link stopped dead when he heard a civilian say,

"Poor kid. I heard he was from Ordon, the little village to the South. Must've taken a toll on him after saving Hyrule."

Link turned his head to his left, when he heard someone say,

"I can't believe it's been four years already. He was so young too, 18? 17?"

Link was running possibilities in his head, when he looked at Zeke. Zeke looked at him in the eye, before he whispered,

"Today marks the anniversary which you disappeared."

Realization dawned on him, Zelda must have made today a national holiday for the Hero of Twilight. '_Oh man, either she is going to be really relieved, or really pissed...'_

Link and Zeke pressed on, until they made it to the Castle Gates. The guards stopped them there, questioning them. Link didn't feel like giving away the 'surprise' so early, so he just pointed his left hand at the two, and uttered an incantation, and they both fell asleep on the spot.

Link opened the heavy doors, for the second time. The first time, he was going to face Ganondorf to kill him, and now, he was going to make his existence known to the ruler of Hyrule.

The two warriors slipped by the gate, passed by many guards, and when confronted by them, made them unconscious by sleeping spells. Slowly, they made their way to the Throne room.

XXXXXXX

Zelda felt her triforce warning her of something, as it glowed faintly. It was reacting to something, but what? Then, she felt the wisdom seeping into her head from it – Two warriors had entered the Castle, wearing black cloaks, on their way to see her. _'Assassins?'_ She thought.

XXXXXXX

Link and Zeke threw the Throne Room doors open. Link ran in, his cloak flapping behind him, as he ran toward the throne. He grabbed the hilt of the Master Sword, strapped on his back, but hidden by the Cloak. He unsheathed it, and slowed to a brisk walk, as Zelda gasped, seeing the two cloaked men, and one wielding the Master Sword.

Link walked to her, stopping feet away from the throne, before getting on one knee, Zeke doing the same behind him, as he placed the tip of the Master Sword on the ground, holding it vertically, as he knelt.

"It's been a long four years, Princess Zelda."

Zelda gasped, as she heard the familiar voice. Link raised his hand, gripped the hood, and threw it off, revealing his face. Zelda let out an unrecognizable noise, as Zeke removed his hood as well.

"L-L-L-LINK?" She practically yelled, as the Guards who finally realized what was going on, stopped pointing their pikes at the two.

Link looked up at her, as he scratched his head,"It's been a while. How are you?" He said lamely.

XXXXXXXX

Link finished his long tale, Zelda gripping onto every word. Zelda looked at Link, as Zeke spoke, "It'd be better off if you keep Link labeled as Dead."

"What? Why?" Zelda asked.

"Because, we only decided to reappear so that we could access the Royal Library. The Twilight Realm is in danger, and the only one who can stop it is Link. Plus, we don't even know if we can come back once we reach there."

Zelda sighed, Zeke was right. No point in labeling Link alive, when he was going to disappear again and possibly never come back. He was better off dead.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"Yeah. It's the only way. I don't feel like letting everyone know I'm alive, and that I'm leaving again, never to be seen." Link told Zelda.

Zeke nodded, before asking, "So, if you will allow us to use your library..."

Zelda sighed, before answering, "Yes, you may use it to the fullest extent... I just hope you find what you are looking for."

Link nodded to her, before looking at Zeke. The two exchanged glances, before Zeke turned around, and headed toward the door. Link was about to follow, as he sheathed the Master Sword, but he suddenly turned around.

"By the way, where's my Hylian Shield?"

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_A/N:Well then. This took longer than I had anticipated. I hope you all enjoyed this. In my opinion, I think I made this ever-so-slightly better. But that's what I think. What do you think? And don't worry, I won't take like a month to come out with the next chapter._


	2. Chapter 2

**Tribulations of Twilight**

Chapter 2

Zelda woke from her haze at the question. "The shield...?"

She pointed up at the top of the throne, and there, resting a couple feet away from Zelda's head, was the Hylian Shield. It was still as battered as Link remembered it, but it looked at if it were polished. Zelda slowly stood up on her throne, dismounted the shield, stepped off her throne, and walked over to Link and gave him the shield.

Link took it, and looked upon it, like an old battle-damaged friend on the end of its rope. Zelda looked at him strangely, as he brushed a hand across it, gazing at the torn up piece of metal, that had saved his life on so many occasions. The very same shield had saved him from arrows, Darknut swords, magical blasts, clubs, spears, a ball and chain, a magical boomerang, a goron's fist, and the likes. This wasn't just a piece of metal, a shield, no. It was a part of him.

Link placed his left hand just above the center of the shield, as his Triforce glowed. It shined a radiant gold, as slowly, the Shield got pieced back together. Metal stretched out and reformed, as the markings replaced themselves, as slowly, but surely, it became whole again.

Link donned the shield on his back, reuniting it with the Master Sword. He quietly thanked Zelda, and apologized for his absence. He realized it must have taken a toll on her to explain how the savior of Light and Twilight disappeared suddenly after an emotional breakdown, and to lose a friend. Link had a high regard for the Princess, although they hardly knew each other. It wasn't a simple relationship that a hero and princess had, no, it was a friendship. A friendship that in which they could open themselves up to each other, without judging each other. Link just wished he could have realized this four years ago, when he was in his moment of weakness.

Link brushed the thought away, while he looked at Zelda again. Her gaze was to the side, obviously, her mind was elsewhere. He turned around, glancing at Zelda one last time, as their eyes met, and exchanged a silent goodbye. Link turned his gaze forward, and looked at Zeke, who patiently waited by the doors, as Link walked toward him. They had a long road ahead.

XXXXXXX

Books were piled on a brown mahogany desk, with a man sitting on a black cloak in green clothes, while a man wearing a white t-shirt, black gloves, black pants, and black boots set another pile of books on the desk, before taking a seat near the green clothed man.

"So, any luck, Link?" Zeke asked.

"Nope. All I've read so far were some possibilities, but aren't iron-clad leads." Link answered, skimming through another book.

"Like?"

"Rituals, seeking power to cut through realms, and something to do with the Lunar Eclipse..."

Link sighed. This was getting them nowhere. He set his gaze on the pile of books, before setting his gaze on one with an old blue cover, and it was covered in dust. He slowly grabbed it, and blew on it, the dust flying forward, revealing the cover. There was no title on the book, only the Triforce, with the Master Sword going through the middle, and a spiral circling the symbol. He opened the book slowly, and it's pages were yellowed and wrinkled with age.

Link looked at it strangely, before opening it, and skimming through a few blank pages. He flipped through some more, and started to read.

Zeke fell asleep some time ago, a book falling from his lap. Link, who was reading the blue book intensely, suddenly jumped up, and exclaimed, "THAT'S IT!"

Zeke yelped in surprise, and leaned back a little too far on the chair, falling onto the floor with the chair. He rubbed his head in pain, before mumbling, "What's it?"

"This is how we're going to get into the Twilight Realm!"

Zeke stood up, placing the chair back on it's four legs, before asking, "Are you sure? What is it?"

Link, rather than explaining and messing it up, showed him the book he was looking into. Zeke rubbed his chin in thought, as a shadow of a doubt crossed his face, "Link, I don't know..."

Link set the book down, "It will probably work."

"It will, probably, but I'm not sure if they will agree..."

"We don't know that until we try." Link countered.

"But Link, a council with the Goddesses?"

"Why not?"

"I'm hoping that's your courage speaking, and not your stupidity." Zeke said, sighing.

Link scowled, waving away the comment, "Well, it says here, _'For one to seek council with the Makers, you must go where Time is Irrelevant.'_ Where do you think that could be?"

Zeke thought for a moment, before answering, "Well, do you think that could be somewhere in the Temple of Time?"

Link nodded, "Couldn't hurt to try."

Zeke nodded, before slipping back on his cloak, Link doing the same. The two embarked on their journey, walking out of Hyrule Castle, out of Castle Town, and to Southern Hyrule Field.

The two walked, both in silence, each thinking about what's to come. Thinking about what's going to happen, each fearing the worst. They walked until it was night, and they both decided to rest.

Link prepared a camp fire, and the two warriors sat near it, the silence continuing. They had asked their questions of each other long ago, and they both trusted each other completely. There was no doubt in their minds, that they could rely on each other to get the others back.

Link lay down, as Zeke kept watch, and slowly fell asleep.

XXXXXXX

Link awoke, his sapphire eyes staring into the sky that rivaled his deep blue. He stretched and yawned, before sitting up, and looking around. He saw the edge of the forest, and turning his head, saw the vast field, and Hyrule Castle in the horizon. Looking down, he saw Zeke asleep nearby, and the fire was extinguished, nothing but ash in it's place. Link felt different today. He felt the best he had in ages. All his training during the four years were about to pay off once he reached the Twilight Realm. And boy, was he ready. He smiled a little, being on edge, waiting, for when he was going to reunite with Midna.

Link shook Zeke, who slowly woke up. Link informed him that they needed to move. Zeke groggily obliged, and the two packed up, and set off.

Link and Zeke walked into Faron Woods, passing by Coro's hut. He wasn't out in his usual spot, and Link looked around the scene nostalgically. All the times he ran out of Lantern Oil, Coro had been there. And, he was one of the select few that wasn't (totally) afraid of Link in wolf form, and Link admired him for just that, when most of the Hyrule Guards would quake in their boots when confronting a Cucco. And the fact that the bird that nested in his hair amused him to no end.

Link looked at the scenery, until Zeke placed a hand on his shoulder. Link looked at Zeke, and Zeke had a serious look in his hazel-green eyes. Link simply nodded, and the two were on the move once more.

They walked through Faron's Woods, and they came to the Forest Temple. Link cursed himself, for the nostalgic scene. _'Everywhere I look, Midna was there, or here. There is no where in Hyrule we haven't been... But soon, she will be with me again.'_ Link smiled at the thought.

Link took a long look at Trill, the bird who was owned by Coro. Link chuckled to himself, remembering when Trill had attacked a Bokoblin that had snuck up on Link, while he was purchasing Lantern Oil. Trill had actually destroyed the Bokoblin, which made Link tip him extra just for the performance.

Link sighed away the thought, and continued on, Zeke not too far behind. They reached the Ledges, with the seemingly never ending gray abyss below. Luckily, Link had practiced magic for four years, and knew a trick or two. Link called upon the power of the Triforce, and slowly, Link began to levitate. Zeke did something in a similar fashion, following Link as the two floated to the entrance of the Sacred Grove.

The two walked, and much to both their dismay, the first pathway had been opened, but the rest, closed.

Link guessed what would happen next, and, spot on, the Imp appeared.

"Welcome back! Play with me, please! I know that after this, you won't be around anymore... So, play! Play! Play!" The imp cheerfully exclaimed.

Link and Zeke gave the imp an odd look, before Zeke broke the silence, "You know this... little fella?"

"More or less. He made me play Hide and Seek, only, I played with my teeth." Link chuckled darkly.

Zeke shrugged, and sighed. "Nothing has to be easy anymore..."

With that, the Imp blew on his strange trumpet, and Puppets appeared, surrounding two. With a, "Ee hee hee!" The imp dissapeared, and the hauntingly sad melody filled the sacred grove.

Groaning, the two warriors unsheathed their weapons of choice, and began the trivial game of Hide and Seek, only as an added variation, with their Swords.

An hour passed, and the exasperated warriors finally beat the Imp, who seemed sad that they would go now. Thus, the two were let into the Real sacred grove.

Link walked through the ruined Temple of Time. Zeke followed suit, looking around him, and gazing at the ruins. Link passed by the two stone guards, forever in their duty to look after the Master Sword, and trial the Hero. To the naked eye, they were just decoration, but Link knew better.

Link walked through the doorway, and was met by the Pedestal of Time. Zeke waited by the door, looking to see what was going to happen. Link felt his Triforce of Courage burn, but it wasn't a hurting burn, weird as it is. Link let instinct take him, as he briskly walked to the Pedestal of Time. He withdrew the Master Sword, and knelt by the pedestal. Feeling his Triforce resonate with the action, words slowly flew from his mouth.

"_Hear me, the Three Golden! I, the Incarnation of the Legendary Hero of Time, The Hero of Twilight, have come here in search of Answers! Hear my plea! I placed my life in your hands, as I brought Peace to the Triforce, with the destruction of the Evil King! And now, I seek what I desire most! Hear me, The Golden Goddesses of Hyrule!_"

Zeke looked at Link strangely, as Link let out a loud grunt, as he struck the Pedestal of Time, sinking the Blade of Evil's Bane deep into it, as far as it would go. Blue light shone from the Pedestal, consuming Link and Zeke. Link withstood it, a sense of knowing entering his mind, while Zeke looked shocked.

XXXXXXX

Link awoke in a field. He noticed instantly that his sword was missing, as he leapt to his feet, looking around. He looked into the Field, it seemed neverending, vast. It placed Link with a feeling of calm, satisfaction, yet, he felt alone, empty. He knew of only one person that would change this feeling, and she wasn't there to make her snide remarks.

Link heard someone behind him, and he turned around, looking at whoever was approaching him. He then set his eyes upon a Green light, and slowly, it faded, into a woman wearing a green robe. Link's mouth was agape, as he stared at her perfect face, her emerald green eyes, and her luscious long hair. Though, in his eyes, she almost compared to a certain Twili with flaming red hair, searing red eyes that could tear a hole in your soul, and yet, look so calm, peaceful, and compassionate.

Link fell to his knees, speechless. He bowed on the ground, mumbling, "F-F-Farore... Goddess of Courage..."

Farore looked upon the kneeling and bowing hero, and simply told him in a voice that echoed, "Rise, Hero of Twilight, and ask, of what you seek council for."

Link clumsily stood up, finding his legs to be suddenly made of rubber. He fell flat on his ass, still gaping at one of the Golden Goddesses. This earned a chuckle from Farore, as she slowly walked, hell, _floated_ to Link. She knelt in front of him, and placed her hand on his cheek. "Do not be nervous, Hero. Now, slowly, rise, and tell me what you come for..."

Farore removed her hand, and stood up. Link stood up also, finding his legs to be stable once more. "I come for help, Farore..."

Farore's face didn't change. In her eyes, she held a calm look, with a slightly amused tone in it, as Link continued, "As you probably already know, along my journey, I traveled with the Twilight Princess, though she was in her imp form. At first, I loathed her, but now, as we grew to eachother, I started to like her, and then, after the Lakebed Temple, where Zant almost took her life, that's when I knew I couldn't live without her, because I love her. And now, that my journey is completed, she broke the Mirror of Twilight, so that none of this could ever repeat itself... But... without her, I find life empty, meaningless... So, I beg you, Farore, let me and Zeke into the Twilight Realm! I can't live without her!"

Farore gazed at Link, studying him carefully. Then, in an instant, her eyes burned with loathe and anger, as suddenly, the calming blue sky became a blood red, as the Grass slowly caught fire around them, as Lava geysers suddenly shot. Farore's voice boomed, "So, you take up the quest to defeat the King of Evil, and now, you're thinking that you deserve something? A reward? And this reward you want, is to live with a bunch of forsaken people? How dare you! We banished them so our precious Hylians could live in all it's beauty, and you're just throwing that away, for some Twili?"

Link felt angry. "I would throw it all away, just for ten seconds with her! I'd throw away my Triforce, throw away my world, Throw away _my life_ just to be with her! I may not be deserving of a reward, but I'll let you know, I have come too far to be stopped!" Link reached into his pouch, and pulled out the Mirror Shard he kept.

He looked at it longily, the destruction around him being pushed to the back of his mind, as his Triforce glowed with the Courage of his resolve. "I just want to be with her again. I don't care if she was the Imp, or the Twilight Princess. She will always be Midna to me, and I will love her, regardless of what you or the other two goddesses think!" Link stared at Farore, conviction burning in his sapphire eyes.

Farore looked at Link, searching for something. When she was satisfied, everything returned to normal in the field around them. No lava geysers spewing Magma, no grass on fire, no red sky, just the peaceful prairie.

Her eyes returned to the calmness, with a sense of proudness in them, "I chose well for the Bearer of the Triforce of Courage. I expected my Relic to resonate with me, and give you false thoughts, but unbelievably, it sided with you." Farore smiled a peaceful smile, as she continued, "Very well. I will grant your request, Link, Hero of Twilight."

Link looked at Farore with disbelief, "It was a test?"

Farore nodded, "Nothing more, nothing less. Now, I will send you to the Twilight Realm, but first, I need to give you something to help you on your way. Seeing as how the Master Sword is no longer in your possession..."

Farore held her hands in the air, and a golden light appeared above her. It shined brightly, causing Link to cover his eyes. When he looked again when the light died down, she saw Farore holding a golden blade, with a green hilt.

"...I'll give you a new sword. This, is called the Golden Sword. It was used by one of your predecessors, also by the name of Link. It will fit well with your Triforce, since it's accustomed to power up more when a bearer uses it, especially when it's the Triforce of Courage. This blade can also repel evil to the same degree the Master Sword can." Farore explained, handing Link the divine sword.

Link gratefully accepted it, and slid it into the golden sheath that appeared on his back. Thanking Farore, and saying goodbye, she transported him to the Twilight Realm.

XXXXXXX

Link looked around at the scenery, and almost cried from pure joy. _'I'm here! I'm finally here! The Twilight Realm! It's a lot bigger than I remember it... a Lot bigger.'_

Link realized he was in the middle of a field, with an unconscious Zeke laying down. Link looked toward the Horizons, but saw nothing but a faint black shape in the distance. Link slowly woke up Zeke, who groggily stood up.

Suddenly, a man in a white cloak approached them. Zeke was instantly alert, drawing his Claymore, and hissing, "_You...!"_ Link looked confused, but judging by Zeke's reaction, this man meant bad news. Everything happened in a blur, Link unsheathed the Golden Sword, when the man in the white cloak suddenly glowed white, and attacked Link.

XXXXXXX

Link awoke hours later. He looked around, with a puzzled expression on his face. He stood up, looking around, and found nothing. He noticed though, that all he had was a black cloak, black shirt, black pants, and black boots. He felt around his body, and didn't find anything. His instincts told him that he lost something, but he couldn't place his finger on it. Moreover to the strange scenery around him, he began to question himself, and what happened.

Link thought and thought, and he couldn't remember anything. Suddenly, and Idea dawned on him. He had heard about it before, though he was not sure where.

He had amnesia.

XXXXXXX

_A/N:Well then. Didn't expect that, now did you? What's going to happen now, now that our Hero has no recollection of why he's in the Twilight Realm, and now that he has no rememberance of Midna! Stay turned to find out! =P_


	3. Chapter 3

**Tribulations of Twilight**

Chapter 3

Link sat down on the bizarre field of blue-green grass. It was nothing but fields as far as he could see, except a black-castle shape in the distance, but it looked far. He spotted a few ridges along the field, and some trees with the same blue-green leaves as the grass. And the sky was the most serene thing he had ever seen.

It was amber, with yellow and orange tints thrown into it. One or two black clouds floated above, but the edges of the clouds faded with the sky. Link was captivated, and he could have stared for hours, if he didn't suddenly have an urge to run as fast as he could toward the Castle. And so, following the urge, he did.

The feeling of happiness flooded him. His instincts told him that once he reached the Castle, he would be immensely happy. Trusting his ever-so-sharp senses, he continued to run, until he tripped on something and fell face-first into the ground.

Spitting out some debris, he sat up, and scratched his head in embarrassment. He hoped no one had saw that. Thankfully, after looking around, no one did. He sighed in relief, he didn't feel like being laughed at.

He heard footsteps, and his left hand flew to his shoulder, only to grasp...

Nothing.

Nothing was there, and somehow, Link felt a twinge of panic as he slowly turned around. He saw about five men dressed in rags, but something was... Off, about them. They had white and black skin, Amber and red eyes, and one of them had green eyes. Their hair was also different shades of red. This disgruntled Link, but somewhere in his head, he heard, _'So I really am back!'_

_'…Back to where, exactly?'_ He thought. His train of thought was interrupted when the supposed leader of them spoke up, **"Alright, now, this is how things are going to work out. Give us your money, and maybe we won't slit your throat!"** He smiled darkly, his yellow teeth showing.

Link felt overly confused. He couldn't understand them, and yet, he knew that they meant harm. How was he going to fair in... wherever he is, without knowing the common language? Then, Link felt a painful ringing in his ears, as a headache began to form. He grunted, then got down on one knee. Grabbing and shaking his head, he slammed his eyes shut from the pain. Then, all at once, it stopped. Opening his eyes, he stood up slowly, till one of them said, "Enough of the funny games! One last chance, give us your money and you won't die!"

Link was amazed that he could understand them now, but he stood still, non-moving, waiting for one of them to make the first move. The leader scoffed, then nodded toward a lackey of his. "With Gusto." The lackey replied, before unsheathing a dagger that looked fairly new, and walked to Link.

The man pointed the dagger at Link when he was in front of him. Link, though having no combat experience (To his knowledge), grabbed the lackey's wrist, twisting it.

_SNAP!_

The sound of his wrist breaking filled the air. Before the dagger could hit the ground, Link grabbed it, and swung vertically, slicing the man from his stomach to his chest. It wouldn't be a fatal wound, but the man wouldn't be getting up anytime soon.

After the man fell, Link charged, holding the dagger. He approached another lackey, and slammed the blunt side of the dagger to his throat, before leaping over him, and slamming his foot into a lackey's head. The two fell to the ground simultaneously. One gasping for breath, one unconscious. Link got up, and looked at the remaining two. His eyes were filled with cold fury. The Leader looked surprised and scared, while the other one looked like he was going to have a heart attack from fear.

Link walked closer, never moving his gaze from the two. Then, he ran toward them. The Leader pulled out a bastard sword from the scabbard at his waist, and held it in a defensive position, while the second pulled out a club.

Link approached them, and as the Leader sliced, and at that instant, something tugged in his head, and he went along with it. He rolled around the Leader, and performed a Back Slice, making the Leader stumble. While the Leader was stunned, Link threw the Dagger at the final Lackey, as the hilt smashed into his head, before he toppled over, groaning in pain.

Link turned to face the Leader, who finally regained his composure, and turned around. He snarled, "You little..."

The Leader charged at Link, holding his blade firm, but clumsily. Link found an opening, and took it. As the Leader approached, Link, knowing he had a white gauntlet strapped to his left arm, raised it, and as the Leader's blade met it, Link shoved the gauntlet into the sword, giving a more of a Gauntlet Attack than a Shield Attack, but it still worked effectively. The Leader's sword flew from his hand, as Link punched the Leader in the throat with his right hand, and as the Leader hunched over, putting his hands to his throat, Link's left hand made contact with the Leader's solar plexus, causing him to fall over from the severe pain. Link left the pitiful man groaning and gasping for air, as he continued his journey.

He ran in the distance of the castle, as it slowly was beginning to enlarge itself. It looked more like a Palace than a Castle now that Link could get a better look at it. He stopped in his tracks to regain his breath, while he looked onward. His head began to hurt, as slowly, old memories that Link didn't even know of pieced together, and words formed in his head that meant nothing to him, and at the same thing, everything.

_'Midna will be there.'_

_'...Who is that, again? I feel like I should know her, but...'_

Link let out a frustrated sigh. He looked down, as he rested his hands on his knees, and he caught sight of a strange symbol on his left hand...

It had three triangles on it, with two on the bottom, and one on top of the other two, and the bottom right triangle stood out more than the other two, because it glowed a little more brightly than the rest of the symbol. Suddenly, memories flashed through his mind. He held his head in pain, as memories pieced themselves together.

_'This is called the Triforce... And I'm the bearer... of the Triforce of Courage... This relic gives me a heightened prowess of magical possession than most can ever hold. Even an Arch Mage wouldn't have as much power as the power stowed in this relic.'_

Happy that he had regained full control of his Triforce, he recalled on how to use it. He was puzzled by the man with hazel-green eyes in his memories, and the fact that he was in the bottom of some kind of ravine, but he didn't bother with it.

He called upon the power of the Triforce, and slowly, he began to levitate. He let out a burst of energy from the Triforce radiate from him, as a faint golden aura surrounded him, as he slowly flew to the Palace.

He was traveling at a great speed, and he rather enjoyed feeling the wind rush through his air as he defied gravity. He felt weightless, as he flew. He twirled in the air, re grasping the feeling of flying, even though it wasn't a long time since he had used it, but his amnesiac mind made him feel as if this was his first time in about ten years.

He slowly came to the Palace, and found it surrounded by a moat, with four bridges at the Cardinal Directions, that led to gates in the large wall surrounding the city. Link called off the power from the Triforce, as the gold aura left Link, and he dropped to the ground with a rough landing.

"Well, I'd say I should have remembered it would do that, but that would be ironic." Link grumbled, as he stood up. He looked around, before he decided that he needed to get inside that Palace if he wanted any answers. He ran toward the Southern Gate, since that was the nearest to him. As he was walking along the bridge, he came upon two guards guarding a gate.

Link approached them, and held up his hand as a sign of a greeting, but once the guards got a good look at him, they immediately attacked. Link, getting caught off guard, was knocked unconscious as one of the guards slammed their spear on his head.

XXXXXXX

Link woke, in a white room, with a man in a black suit and a clipboard above him. He had silver hair, and red eyes, as he wrote things down. "Where... am I?" He asked.

The man merely glanced at Link, before returning to the clipboard. "The infirmary. The guard hit you with his spear pretty hard, and you were rendered unconscious. They brought you to me, and you'll be fine."

He was cut off when a woman with a black dress, with a symbol on the right arm of it, flaming red hair, crimson eyes, and a scowl on her face entered the room. Link lept out of bed, his gazing never leaving the woman. She was triggering something, and Link almost knew what.

When the woman saw him, She squeaked with surprise, and her hands flew to her mouth, as her amber and red eyes widened in surprise. Link stopped a few feet away from her, in a trance.

No words were spoken, as the doctor stared at them intriguinly. He walked closer, as he turned back to his clipboard and wrote down a few things, before leaving the room.

The woman continued to stare, while Link stared back. She then removed her hands from her mouth, and spoke quietly, "How did you... why are you..." When Link felt a tear run down his cheek, as he quickly embraced her. The woman let out a yelp of surprise, when Link awkwardly let go of her, before scratching his head and saying, "...Sorry, I don't know what came over me."

Link looked at her funnily, before asking, "I know this sounds bad, but uh... Who are you?"

The woman looked at him shocked, and hurt was written all over her face, "You... forgot who I am...?" She murmured.

Link looked at her blankly, before through the window, the man from Link's memories opened it, as he rolled in. His hazel green eyes were fixed on Link, while the Woman said, "There's_ more _of you!"

Link looked at the man with the same blank glare, as he slowly stood up. "I'm sorry for the intrusion, but I came because of Mr. Forgetful over there, Princess Midna."

Link's head snapped back to Midna. _'Midna... Midna... Midna... Why does that ring a bell? A painful one, too...'_

The man walked over to Link, and reached into his pocket. Midna looked at him questiongly, as suddenly, he pulled out a piece of the Mirror Shard, and placed it in Link's hands. She gasped, _'Why does he possess that?'_

Link looked at it, and suddenly, Link's eyes clenched, as he dropped to the floor, clenching his head, as all the memories flooded through his head. He felt a painful headache, as one by one, his memories returned. He thought about his life, his childhood, everything. After he regained memories of his quest, what happened afterword struck him hard.

_'...Midna... broke the mirror... Why! I... didn't get to say... Zelda... Could never understand... Get... away from me! ... Need to get out of here... Epona... Desert... Need... To run... Get out of here... Bridge of Eldin... Hour of Twilight... Why does everything remind me of her? Why! Goddesses... Fated me to this... Bottom... Of Ravine... Arm broken... Zeke... Fixed my arm... Way back to Midna... She's in Danger! ...Train... For four years? Never to see anyone for that time period... Fine... Anything to save her... Shield... Gone... Accident... Zelda's Guards finding it... Seeing Zelda after four years... Shield hung in memory of me... Tell her... To keep me labled as Dead... Find way to Midna... Council with the Goddesses... Get to the Temple of Time... Strike the Pedestal... Farore! ...Golden Sword... I'm Back in the Twilight Realm! Got to find Midna... Man in white cloak...'_

He looked up from his reverie of having his Memory regained, as everything came back to him. His gaze fixed forward, as Midna looked at him. Link stood up, and looked at Zeke, and finally... Midna. The one who broke the Mirror. The one who he fell in love with. The one who started it all. The one who he trained for four long years for. The one who was in danger. The Twilight Princess.

XXXXXXX

Link sat in Midna's chambers, in a chair across from her, who was also sitting in a chair. She had asked that he'd come, for a discussion on what was happening. Zeke said he had to go somewhere, and that he would meet up with Link later.

The two sat in an awkward silence. Link was still in a haze of getting his memory back, and he was thinking about a lot of things. Midna had no doubt heard him in his trance, and probably heard everything about him and the mirror.

"So, care to explain what you're doing here, instead of staring off into space, wolf boy?"

Link was fighting between telling her his personal reason, or the reason that the Goddesses told him that she was in trouble. Both were going to end up with him exposing his feelings, he just knew it. Although the latter of the two could possibly just be a calling-boy thing that Midna would accept, or she would press him on his mumblings earlier on. Which could end _badly_ if Midna didn't love Link back.

Link decided to go with the reason the Goddesses made him come here, "I came because the Goddesses told me that the Twilight Realm was in trouble, so I had to find a way to get here."

Midna sighed. Either she was anticipating that, or she knew Link was hiding something. He wanted to damn her politic side that could easily detect lies or cover-ups.

Link decided to cover up his feelings with a more truthful approach, "The Goddesses sent me here to protect the Twili from an ancient organization by the name of the Templars. There are five in total, each with their respective element, Fire, Earth, Water, Air, and Spirit. They could prove to be deadly, so we'd have to be cautios," Link spoke.

Midna sighed, rubbing her temple. "They just never give us a break, do they?"

Link chuckled, as Zeke knocked, and entered the room. He carried a green hilted sword in a golden sheath, and in the other arm, he carried the Hylian Shield. He closed the door behind him. "Sorry for intruding, but I just wanted to give Link back his weapons."

Midna sighed, before nodding. She had wanted time to catch up with Link, alone. She eyed the weapons, as Zeke handed them to Link. Link said his thanks, as Zeke nodded in response, as he stood by Link. Midna examined the weapons, and found that he was still using the Hylian Shield, but the sword was what puzzled her most. "So, what sword is that?" She inquired, "looks more intricate than the Master Sword."

Link donned the Hylian Shield on his back, before holding the sword. "This, is the Golden Sword." He announced, as he gripped the golden sheath with his right hand, the hilt with the left, and pulled.

Midna stifled a gasp at the blade's celestial beauty. It was about the same length as the Master Sword, though, instead of the blue guard and pommel, the guard was Green, as was the pommel. The hilt was black. The Shoulder of the blade was the widest part, and as it followed through the fuller, it got thinner. It was double edged, like the Master Sword. It shined a radiant gold, as if the dullest candle could get a reflection that could match the sun. Midna felt intimidated just by looking at the blade.

Link resheathed the Golden Sword into it's respectable hilt, before he strapped it to his back, along with the Hylian Shield. "Speaking of my weapons, Zeke, what happened after our confrontation with the man in the white cloak?"

Midna was confused at this, and Link noticed this, so he explained best he could. "When we entered this realm in hopes of finding you, we were met by a man wearing a White Cloak. I remember unsheathing my sword, and after that... Blank. I think he knocked me unconscious somehow, but I'm not sure, because when I woke up, I had lost my memory."

Midna nodded, _'So he was the reason Link lost his memory.'_ She waited for Zeke to answer Link's question.

"Well, he wasn't just a man in a white cloak. He was Divus, the Grand Templar, and Master of the Fifth Element. The element that is the most powerful of All, Spirit."

Link's mouth hung slightly, "But how did he know we were coming?"

"I do not know the answer to that, but after you drew your sword, he was behind you in an instant, using the Spirit energies in the air, and he knocked you out cold with his hand. I drew my claymore-" Zeke pointed to his weapon of choice on his back, "and I battled him. I made him follow me, using tactics and strategy to lead him away from you. We were evenly matched, until I met my limit. Divus..." Zeke shook his head, "He kept on coming. We never actually met eachother in physical attacks. It was just an onslaught of magical abilities. I could not beat him. He was too strong. I had to use my last resort. I focuses all the power I had in my body, and centered it to my right hand. When Divus drew close, I grabbed his chest, and unleashed all of my compressed energies onto him. Normally, this would create an instant-death backlash, but I chanelled the direction of it toward Divus. I didn't wound him fatally, remarkably so, but I did some damage. He left shortly after, seeing as how he finally met his limit, and how I met mine long ago." Zeke finished.

Link and Midna sat in silence, taking in the information, until Midna spoke up, "So, after that was done with, how did Link lose the Golden Sword, and Hylian Shield?"

Zeke sighed, before answering, "He took them from Link's unconscious body. He fought me with them. And after my little skirmish with him, he teleported, leaving the weapons behind."

The three sat in silence, before Link spoke up, "Well, that's the situation as you can see. Zeke and I will leave as soon as we can to deal with the Templar-" Midna cut him off.

"What, you think you two are doing this alone, wolf boy?" Midna asked.

Link looked at her. "Well... Yes. I thought you would want to stay here and deal with the Twilight Realm. Sure, it has been four years, but you can't be done with rebuilding the realm!"

Midna rolled her eyes. "You pitiful wolf. I'm going to help you. After all, _my_ realm is in trouble, and I will not be some damsel in distress locked in a tower by the big-bad Grand Templar, screaming for my Knight in Shining Armor. Speaking of four years, by the way, I also learned some great magics courtesy of my Arch Sorcerer." Midna spoke in extreme vanity.

Link chuckled. He had missed this. Missed the snide remarks, the quirky names, and the snide and mischevious attitude. That was what he loved about her. Though, he couldn't tell her that. He couldn't let her know, until he was sure she felt the same way.

"Oh? Are you sure you'd be able to help? As I last recall, it took a little out of you to break a metal chain..."

"Hey! I was reduced to an imp with a fraction of my power, what's your excuse for after one swing of the Ordon Sword, you lost your balance?"

"Now that's plain unfair! The only sword I have ever used was a light stick!"

Zeke sighed from their antics. Anyone who was looking for the signs knew that they loved eachother, and yet they were afraid to tell eachother. He felt like the third square wheel in the room. Leaving them to their verbal love-bites, Zeke exited the room, and to his nonexistant surprise, they hadn't noticed.

XXXXXXX

A day had passed. Link and Zeke were to attend a council meeting to decide their fates. Once they would arrive there, they would waste no time to explain their being there, and be on their way. They were also going to talk the counsellors into Midna accompanying them.

The three walked to the council chamber. Link walked beside Midna, and asked, "Anything we should know of the counsellors?"

Midna shrugged before replying, "There are fifteen councellors in all. About a third of them I am on good terms with, and they will agree with me on mostly anything, while another third are greedy old fools who want nothing but things to go their way, and the remaining third will agree on whoever has the better point."

Link sighed. "You talk about it like a daily thing."

"You have no idea, wolf boy."

Link, Midna, and Zeke approached the council doors, and opened them, revealing a large room, with a long rectangular brown table with fifteen chairs. Seven on each side, and one at the end. Midna walked and took her seat at the end, with fourteen eyes watching her and her two companions. Several murmurs arose, and one of them stood up,

"To... uh... Adress the elephant in the room, Princess Midna... Why are there two... erm... Light dwellers at your side?"

This councellor was Councellor Anxia, a timid councellor who lacked grace and presence. He would usually be too scared to speak, and when he did, he often mumbled and stumbled on his sentences. He was one of the few Midna was on good terms with. He had spiky orange hair, with red eyes. He wore the traditional black Councellor robes, with cyan runes.

Then, someone else stood up, while Anxia took his seat. "I agree with Councellor Anxia. Who are those people, Princess Midna?"

That someone would be Councellor Lienosus. A councellor who was bent on old traditions and power. He often raised cryptic points that you couldn't prove, or disprove. He was an annoying one. He had a head of short, wirey brown hair, and green eyes. He also wore the traditional black Councellor robes, designed with yellow runes.

Midna sighed, before standing up. "Councellors, I have dire news. There is an ancient organization that could be uprising once more. They are known as the Templars, and there are five of them. Though, their number may not seem like much, they have immense power that could destroy the Twilight Realm. Each of the five have their own respective element, namely, Fire, Water, Air, Earth, and Spirit. These two Light Dwellers have been sent to aid us in these upcoming times. You may know this one..." Midna pointed to Link, "as Link, the Hero of Twilight!"

Gasps rose from around the table. Lienosus rose once more. "How can we be sure? They seem pretty sketchy to me, Princess! And besides, why should we listen to Light Dwellers, in their favorable glory of the Light World? We should execute them where they stand! Even if an 'ancient organization' were to rise, it would be a Twili matter! Not a Light Dweller matter!"

Councellor Ordinatur, one of those who Midna did not like, with his suck up attitude to Lienosus, his mangled mullet of black hair, with violet eyes, and black robes with purple runes, spoke up. "I agree! What's his cause to help us? And how do we even know he's here to help?"

At this, one of the more level-headed councellors, Councellor Lunaris, with his eye-length crimson hair, and his green eyes, with his black robes with azure runes, spoke. "I wouldn't be so sure, Councellor Ordinatur. Take a look at his left hand."

Link uncertainly lifted up his left hand, and through his gauntlet, his Triforce shined.

"That, my fellow Councellors, is the mark of the Goddesses. He truly has been sent here to aid us against the Templar. It seems our Goddesses have not yet forsaken us, for the mistakes our ancestors may have made. We should oblige to their help."

Lienosus rose once again, "Oblige to their help! Are you insane, Councellor Lunaris? _Their_ Goddesses forsake us long ago, when they banished us to the Twilight Realm! We have suffered long, dealing with our ancestors' mistakes! That supposed 'Hero of Twilight' means nothing to us! We should kill him where he stands!"

At this, Midna lost her patience, and spoke. "Councellors, though he may not appear to be the Hero of Twilight, I can assure you, since I have travelled with him in the Light World for a month or two, he's quite formidable. This is the same person who fought with us against Zant, the Usurper, while all of you were transformed into Shadow Beasts, and myself an imp. And, this is the same person who fought for his world, against the Dark Lord Ganondorf, who drove Zant to controlling all of us! I propose a _Equitum proelio_. A Duel to prove his worth. The Hero will combat one of our top knights, and if he wins, he, along with his companion Zeke, and myself will go to defeat the Templars."

The Councellors were silent, mulling this over, while Link looked at Midna, surprised.

Anxia rose once again, and spoke. "Yes... but... Why would you go, Princess Midna...?"

To this, Zeke answered. "Because, as Councellor Lienosus previously stated, that this is a Twili matter, and who are we to deny the highest ranking official from partaking in saving the realm?" Zeke threw an innocently snide smile, strictly directed toward Lienosus and Ordinatur.

Lienosus grunted, as he folded his arms. He could think of no counter-argument, and neither could Ordinatur. Midna tossed an amused glance toward Zeke.

After the moment of silence, High Councellor Cerebrum, an aged Twili with white hair, golden eyes, black robes with white shoulder plates, and golden runes stood. "It is settled then. Link, the Hero of Twilight, shall combat General Robur to decide his worth of assisting the Twilight Realm."

XXXXXXX

Link and Midna walked to a door that lead to the Arena. They looked at eachother, and on a closer inspection, Midna saw that Link looked hardened. She hadn't noticed the scar along his face. How could she have missed that? She traced the scar with her eyes, it went from the top of his right eyebrow, extending diagnolly down his nose, as to the bottom of his left cheek. She wondered if he got that along her quest, or if it was recent. _'No, it couldn't have been from our quest, I don't remember ever seeing it...'_

Shrugging the thought aside, she placed a hand on the door. "So, think you can top one of our best soldiers, wolf boy?"

Link grinned, and nodded.

XXXXXXX

_A/N:Well, there's chapter three. I'll try to get chapter 4 up ASAP._


	4. Chapter 4

**Tribulations of Twilight**

Chapter 4

Link and Midna entered the Arena. The first thing he noticed was the grandness of the room. It was huge, with intricate designs along the walls, as descending, seats surrounded the white marble arena. The seats were filled with Twili of all ages, and on two opposite sides of the Arena, there were the Councilors, sitting in two large tables. Midna told Link good luck, before walking off to her spot with the Councilors. Link approached the Arena, and stepped on. The talking immediately ceased, as all eyes were on him, and the opponent across from him.

Link guessed that this Twili, who stood opposite from him in black armor, was General Robur. As Link stood opposite from him, he took off his helmet, revealing yellow eyes, and crew cut white hair. "You are the proclaimed Hero of Twilight?"

Link nodded.

"I hoped that. You seem battle-hardened. I can see it from your scar... And from your eyes." Robur examined.

Link looked at Robur questioningly, before High Councilor Cerebrum stood. "We are gathered here today to partake in an _Equitum proelio. _A Battle of Knights, to prove Link, the Hero of Twilight's worth, against our top soldier, General Robur. You may choose your weapons of choice."

Two bulked men wearing white robes walked onto the Arena, both pushing a shelf of weapons. Robur slipped on his helmet, before taking out a Great sword from a shelf. The Hilt was black, while the Guard and Pommel were silver. The blade itself was a shining steel.

Link examined the shelf presented to him a second, before he drew out his Golden Sword. "This will be my weapon, Gentlemen."

Satisfied with what they chose, the men carried off the shelves, as Councilor Cerebrum resumed his speech, "now that both warriors are properly equipped, let the _Equitum proelio_ begin!"

Link eyed Robur, before he sheathed the Golden Sword, and donned the Hylian Shield, tossing it out of the Arena. "If you shall not be using a Shield, then neither will I."

Robur looked at Link with a look of respect. Normally, any opponent Robur faced used any advantage he could get. It was rare for someone to want to be on equal terms with him, even if that someone was not wearing armor.

Robur approached Link steadily, his grip firm on the great sword. He eyed Link curiously, _'What does he plan to accomplish not drawing his blade?'_ Robur thought.

His question was immediately answered, as Link's hand flew to the hilt, unsheathed the Golden Sword, as he twirled, gaining momentum, and sliced diagonally against Robur. Robur was caught by surprise, and couldn't guard, as the Golden Sword cut through his armor like butter, and sliced his flesh.

Robur lost his balance from the attack, and Link, who was quick on his feet, lay attack after attack upon Robur. The Twili was getting cut left and right, and finally, regained enough footing to block some of the attacks.

Link sliced at Robur, who parried the attack, and stabbed at Link. Link dodged barely, as the tip cut through his shirt and into his skin, while rolling around Robur, and performing a Back Slice.

Robur, again caught off guard by another Hidden Skill, was once more victim to more of Link's relentless assault.

Link sliced vertically across his back, cutting through the armor placed there, while slicing horizontally, giving Robur a nice cross on his back, that was slowly bleeding.

Robur twirled on his heel, giving a mighty slice along with him. Link blocked, but in vain, as Robur had gathered enough momentum to bash Link's Golden Sword, and knock Link off balance. It was time for a counter-attack.

Robur swung his mighty blade, as it danced across Link's chest, earning a grunt of pain. Robur then followed up that attack, with another, though this one was aimed at a fatal spot, as the blade sailed across Link's chest.

Link back flipped away from Robur, clenching his chest with one hand. Link had no time to analyze his wounds, but from the expression from Robur, he shouldn't be standing. Link casted a glance downward to the searing pain, and found that his chest was bleeding furiously. There was no time for games, Link had to end this quick.

Link got into the stance for a Jump Strike, and charged up. Only this time, he poured some of the power from his Triforce onto the Golden Sword. It glowed gold, as Link felt the warmth of his Triforce spread from his left hand, to the Golden Sword.

Link let out a war cry, and leapt at Robur. Robur raised his great sword in defense, but it was futile. Link rammed the Golden Sword left, knocking the great sword from Robur's grasp, and on the ground. Link then slashed to his right, earning a gash across Robur's chest, and to finish it off, as Link landed on the ground, slammed the Golden Sword on Robur's chest, cutting deeply into it, and setting off a shock wave of energy, not only sending Robur flying about five feet, but it also rendered Link the winner. No man or twili could get up from that.

Robur slammed on the ground on his back, letting our a cry of pain from the assault. He had a fatal wound on his chest, and not to mention he was in severe pain. He had no words to speak, for the pain was too much. It was a foolish idea to challenge the Hero of Twilight. He truly, was the one who defeated Zant, and saved his realm. With that final thought, he lost consciousness.

Link still gripped his sword, and walked to Robur. He crouched near him, and spoke to the General. "I have nothing against you, General. You were my opponent, not my enemy." He said, before he stood up. All eyes were on him. The Twili seated in the seats surrounding the Arena were wide eyed, and mouths were agape. They all had the same line of thought entering their heads – _'He truly is the Hero of Twilight!'_

Link felt the pain in his chest grow, and put a hand to it, trying to apply pressure. He looked down, and saw that it was more severe than he thought, as his hand had a big red blob on it.

Robur had sliced deep into Link's solar plexus, and it was bleeding. Soon, Link would pass out from blood loss. It was a wonder how he was still standing. That was not to say he couldn't feel it. It felt like someone was constantly pressing a heated stick of metal against him, as it seared his flesh.

Link shook his head. He was feeling dizzy already. He had a 'title' to keep up. He sliced in the air twice, before using the momentum to twirl his sword, and sheathing it stylishly. Clapping rose, quiet at first, before it grew loud. Some were even cheering.

Link took one last glance at the General, before the two men came in once more, and picked up Robur, before taking him to the infirmary. Link walked to his Hylian Shield, before donning it to his back.

The cheering and clapping ceased, as Cerebrum stood up once more. Just as he was about to speak, from the roof, a pillar of fire erupted, and cast down toward Link.

Link had barely enough time to react. Immediately, he unstrapped his Hylian Shield from his back, before holding it over his head.

The Pillar of Fire encased Link, surrounding him in flames. Everyone watched in fear, as the Pillar didn't cease. Midna immediately stood from her chair, watching in horror. Zeke, who was by Midna, looked on in the same fear, hoping that Link was still alive.

The Pillar of Fire slowly thinned, until it was no more, and as the smoke cleared, Link stood, holding his shield, which was black from soot.

From the hole in the ceiling which the Pillar of Fire came, a man dropped down, wearing a red cloak. The hood was down, concealing his identity.

Chaos rose within the chamber, as people started to flee. They exited through the doors, as the Councilors did too, save for Cerebrum, Anxia, and Lunaris, Lienosus, a couple others, with Zeke standing by.

The man in the hooded red cloak turned to face Link. Link simply clenched his left hand, as the warmth of healing spread through his body, focusing on his wounds. They would not heal completely, and would drag him down in battle if he pushed too hard. He would have to do what he could.

The red cloaked man walked toward Link, but immediately, Zeke and Midna leaped forward, but with a death glare from the cloaked man, a wall of fire surrounded the arena, encasing Link and him.

"Damn it!" Zeke yelled, and Midna just scowled. They couldn't help Link at all. They were powerless for the moment.

Link unsheathed his Golden Sword, and got into a battle stance. The man looked at Link, before drawing out a crimson longsword from his cloak.

In a snide voice, the man spoke. "Forgive my intrusion, _Hero of Twilight_." The man spat the words of Link's title.

"But, as Templar of Flames, Argus, I will defeat you!" Argus, the Templar of Flames, charged at Link.

Link sliced at Argus, who blocked with his sword, and pointed his hand at Link. Flames erupted from it, toward Link, and Link just barely dodged it, rolling around Argus, and back slicing him.

Argus howled in pain, the wounds becoming encased in fire, as he did a mimic of Link's spin attack, only instead of the power that usually encased it, it was a fury of flames.

Link back flipped, dodging narrowly. Link charged once more, and rammed his shield into Argus, who stumbled, as Link performed a Helm Splitter.

Link's golden blade met with Argus's head, as Argus fell to his knees, while his hood fell too.

Link turned around, and gasped.

The man had eye-length spiky jet-black hair, and his eyes, the iris' burned a crimson fury, as blood trickled down his face. But the most surprising thing, was that he had Light Dweller skin.

"I have been unmasked, it seems." Argus said, monotonic. "A simple mistake, never to be repeated!"

Argus shot up, fire encasing him. He _flew_ at Link, leaving a trail of fire behind him. He unleashed attack after attack upon Link, who blocked in vain, as Argus was relentless.

Once or twice, Argus had a hole in his fury of sword attacks, as Link sliced Argus once or twice, but it was futile. Argus ignored the pain, and slammed his longsword into Link's shield, making him lose balance. Argus seized his chance, he pierced his blade into Link.

Argus made use of his element, and trailed fire down the sword, burning Link's wound, searing it.

Link was in severe pain. The sword narrowly missed a lung, and the fire that was encasing the blade was not making things easier. Link fell upon one knee, the pain becoming unbearable, as the sword cut wounds internally and externally, while the flames seared the wounds, stopping the bleeding, but the pain was unbearable. Link's coughed a fine red mist, while he heard Zeke yell. "No!"

Argus ruthlessly ripped his blade from Link, watching blood spill down Link's mouth and chin, while he looked at Argus with a cold fury in his sapphire eyes.

"Now now, I'll make your death as painful as possible." Argus smiled. If Link ever saw a shit-eating grin, that would be one.

Argus rose slowly, fire encasing his hands, as he held his hands above his head, palms outstretched, and gathering slowly, was a ball of pure fire.

It grew in size, until it was at least three times Link's height. Argus hissed, "This is where you DIE!" He flung the ball of fire at Link, as timed seemed to slow.

Link closed his eyes. He had one chance, and he didn't want to do it. He had barely any control of this technique, and to use it blindly, was a deadly mistake. He opened his eyes slowly, and looked out beyond the fire. He saw the wide-eyed gazes of the Councilors, while he saw Zeke's mouth agape, and his hazel green eyes widened in fear. He saw Midna, and saw fear and hurt across her face. He thought he saw a tear in her eye, but it must have been his imagination.

Link turned back to the ball of fire approaching him. He had no choice. Die here, and let the Twilight Realm be annihilated, or try this last chance, and possibly die, but he could clear out Argus with him, at least.

Link sheathed his Golden Sword, and donned his Hylian Shield. He pointed his left palm at the Ball of Crimson Fire, and saw his Triforce of Courage radiate with his decision. It's warmth spread to his hand, up his arm, and throughout his body, draining him of any cold doubt. He gripped his left wrist with his right hand.

Link's left hand began to glow a radiant gold, as Link concentrated all of his power into it.

As Link's hand met with the Ball of Fire, the two forces of energy collided with each other. Power was being sent everywhere, colliding with eachother, fighting to better the other. Link began to radiate a bright gold, as suddenly, the Ball of Fire drew into Link's hand, until it was no more.

Link, unsheathed then his Golden Sword, as his body radiated from the absorbed power, and his own.

Argus stared at Link in awe, he had just absorbed his most powerful attack. Then, once he regained his composure, realized Link was using the new found energy to fly up to where he was.

Link concentrated all of the energy he had left, and all the energy he had absorbed into his Golden Sword. It glowed with power, radiating Link's cold fury. Link let out a piercing war cry of a howl, and met up with Argus. He sliced once, as Argus tried to block. The moment the two swords met, Argus's red longsword suddenly exploded from the energy passed onto it. Then, Link brought his sword to another slash, and made contact with Argus's chest, sending out a shock wave of energy. Argus let out a cry of pain, and Link sliced again, another booming shock wave shooting out, mortally wounding Argus a second time.

Then, Link poured everything he had, everything he could muster, and pierced Argus, straight where his heart should be.

Link's Golden Sword sank deeply into Argus, until it was down to the hilt. The Golden Aura left Link, and embraced Argus. Though, the aura was not of empowering, no, it was much worse.

Energy radiated from Argus, as it was slowly tearing him apart. He screamed in agony, as he tried to heal himself, but it was in severe vain. Then, an explosion from all of the magical energy Link poured into the Golden Sword rung out, sending Link crashing to the ground.

Link managed to look up, and saw a golden ball encase Argus. He couldn't see inside the ball, but the very room was shaking from the energy being uncompressed, as it slowly expanded.

Then, all to quickly, it exploded a second time. Golden energy was sent flying everywhere, as Argus remained in the air, his cloak tattered and in rags, and his black undergarments were ragged also. Slowly, Argus plummeted, and slammed against the ground, near Link.

Midna, Zeke, and the Councilors stared in awe at the presentation before them. Words couldn't even describe their emotions, as Zeke immediately snapped from his reverie. He ran toward Link, knowing the danger of what Link just did. If Link messed up anywhere in that performance, he would be dead.

Zeke knelt near Link, and saw externally he was fine. Before he could perform a magical scan of Link's insides, Argus spoke in a pained voice.

"Let him be, Zeke. I need to talk to him a minute."

Link's eyes widened. Argus was still _alive_? Link sat up, groggily, and in pain. He glanced over at Argus, who's normally fury-filled crimson eyes, had a sad tone in them, regretful, even. And how did Argus know Zeke? He found no answers looking into Argus's eyes, as they blankly stared at the ceiling.

Zeke hesitated a moment, then drew back. Midna and the councilors neared, but Zeke held out his hand, motioning them to stop. Reluctantly, and surprised, they stopped. Midna looked at Zeke quizzically, but before she or anyone else could question his motives, Argus spoke, turning to Link.

"I have been defeated. Link, I believe, that you can stop them."

Link looked at Argus strangely, but before Link could question what Argus meant, his body suddenly erupted in cyan flames, as Argus had on a face of severe pain.

"There is no time to explain! I'll try and tell you what I can. We Templar, have bound our souls into our own element, in hopes for Power. We have done this with Rituals, of the depth I cannot go into right now. The five of us chose an element for us to command, and I chose Fire. Saion chose Water, Gaia chose Earth, Aeries chose Wind, and Divus chose Spirit. In our life, we have become conflicted, searching for Power, so that we could dominate the lands. You have to stop them, Link!"

The Cyan flames started eating away Argus's body, till nothing was remaining. Argus was down to his torso, his lower body being gone completely.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Link asked, confused.

Argus simply looked up at Link, the cyan flames drawing near. "So that... Just maybe... We could have Penance... long overdue..."

As Argus finished those last words, the cyan flames consumed him completely, shrouding whatever was left of him, until the cyan flames died, leaving nothing more in its place.

Link did not know what he meant, and dwelled on the subject a while, until Zeke slowly walked to Link, knelt by him, and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, are you alright?"

Link looked at Zeke oddly. "How did he know you?"

Zeke shook his head. "Nevermind that, what about you? You know how dangerous the stunt you just pulled! Are you okay? Any internal injuries?"

At this point, the remaining councilors and Midna, walked to Link and stood by him. To break the silence, Cerebrum spoke up.

"If I may, Link, what did you do?"

Link suddenly felt a pain in his stomach. He ignored it, and faced Cerebrum to answer his question, but as he looked up, Link felt his insides burn, and rip. He started coughing, and each cough, a raspy noise rose from his throat, and blood spat out. Link pulled a hand to his mouth to at least provide some cover, but the coughing grew relentless, and soon, his hand was dripping with blood. He heard someone yell, "QUICK! GET DOCTOR KORIC!"

He recognized this voice to be Midna's, and that was his last thought, before he gasped, and fell forward.


	5. Chapter 5

**Tribulations of Twilight**

Chapter 5

Midna watched her hero laying on a bed in the Hospital. Link was down to his white leggings, as bandages were wrapped all over his chest, some on his head, some on his arms, and in other places. His clothes lay forgotten on a nearby chair.

Zeke sat on a chair near Link, his arms crossed, and his eyes closed. His Claymore was resting against the chair he sat on. His head was leaned against the chair, and he appeared to be either sleeping, or in deep thought.

Dr. Koric, the doctor that had watched over him before, stood over him. Dr. Koric kept his gaze on Link, as he scribbled a couple things down. Once or twice, he would move his right hand over Link, and it would glow a dark blue. Then he would return to his clipboard.

The Doctor turned around to face Midna. She was afraid to ask what was on her mind, but she decided she had to know. "What's wrong with him? Will he be alright?"

Dr. Koric looked over his shoulder to Link once more, then back to Midna. "There is no way I can tell you any easier, Princess Midna. That stunt he pulled in the Arena was fatal to his body, and his health. It's just insult to injury, quite literally, that he pressed on to fight this 'Templar of Flames' after he fought General Robur. When he absorbed that colossal mass of fire, it was tearing him inside out. It was tearing up muscles and tissue throughout his whole body. But, another force was constantly healing the wounds, while they were being torn up. So it was back and forth between his muscles getting destroyed and repaired. This can weaken the body considerably, and in this case it did. I do not know whether Link will recover, or be in a state of weakness for all his life.

"All I know is, that when he wakes up, it will be a battle of willpower to stay alive. He will have to get plenty of rest, and anything that will set off too strong of negative feelings could be catastrophic. It will be like this for about a week, then, whether he will be in a confined state of weakness, or whether he will regain his formal strength will be known. I can only hope for the latter."

Midna took a moment to absorb all this in. She spoke in a calm demeanor, yet, there was subtle anxiety and pain in her voice.

"Can't we help him with our powers?"

Dr. Koric sighed. "There are only so many things we can do with magic, Princess. I have tried my best, and even my knowledge in healing magics weren't enough. I do not doubt the powers of our very royal family, but even your powers wouldn't be adequate enough. You would have to give your life to heal him completely, and that's just theoretically."

Midna sighed a shaky breath, and pulled up a nearby chair, and sat next to Link, tears welling up in her eyes.

Dr. Koric murmured an apology for not being able to help, then turned around, and exited the room to tend other patients.

Midna looked longingly at Link. _It's just one thing after another._ She thought.

She saw Link stir a bit, as slowly, his eyes fluttered open, revealing his sapphire eyes. "M... Midna?" He rasped, "w-what's going on? Where am I?"

"Shh," she replied, "save your energy. I'll try and tell you what happened after you passed out.

"After you fainted, your trial continued without you, and the majority of the group decided that you have proved your worth, and are allowed to live, along with Zeke."

Link nodded his head. "How long was I out?" He asked.

"About a day."

"Could have been worse. I actually expected to be unconscious for another 48 hours."

"Wait, you knew this was going to happen?"

"Of course."

"You idiot! You could have died!"

"Hey, I had to take the risk! First, I had to fight off the commando of a General, then I had to face some psychotic pyromaniac!"

Midna sighed, rubbing her temple.

"That _'psychotic pyromaniac' _happened to be one of my subordinates..." A voice behind them boomed.

Link shot up, and looked behind Midna, as her heart sank at the voice, as she looked behind her. Standing there was a man in a white cloak, arms folded, and the hood over his head, covering his features. The cloak was covered with black runes.

"You again!" Link growled, shooting to his feet, ignoring the sudden pain and cracks of his joints, as he grabbed his Golden Sword and Hylian Shield from the nearby chair.

Hearing the commotion, Zeke's hazel-green eyes flashed open, as he immediately stood up, and looked onward at the man in the white cloak, as he took his claymore from his chair, and got into his battle pose.

Midna knew from one glance that this guy meant trouble, so she closed her eyes, and reopened them slowly, multicolored energy circling her hands.

Link charged all too quickly, Zeke following suite, then the man in the white cloak threw out his left arm, and a blinding white light enclosed the room.

XXXXXXX

Link awoke in a white void. He looked at his surroundings, and saw nothing but white. He noticed he was standing, so there was a floor. Just not visible because of the surrounding area. Then, opposite from him, was the man in the white cloak.

"Allow me to introduce myself," The man began.

"I don't even want to know who you are!" Link shouted, gripping his Golden Sword tightly, then charging once more. As he neared, and sliced at the man, the man simply held out his right arm, and as the Golden Blade drew near, a vortex seemed to appear right where the middle of the blade was. Link stopped dead in his tracks, as white energy focused on the center. All too quickly, the Golden Sword suddenly snapped in half.

Link's mouth was agape, as he held half of the Golden Sword. He couldn't even detect any magic being used. Then, something dawned onto him.

He was in a void, where this man was in complete control of anything that happened. He could bend physics here. Any law that existed was moot. Link was at the man's total mercy, with no fighting chance.

The man let his arm fall back down to his side, as his voice rang once more, "now then, let me introduce myself; I am Divus, the Grand Templar."

Link dropped the hilt of the Golden Sword. It was of no use anymore. He waited for the man to continue.

"I was quite surprised that you actually bested the Templar of Flames. Incredible. But annoying none-the-less. Now, you probably wonder why you're here and not dead. Well, allow me to explain... Everything."

"Everything?" Link repeated, raising a questioning eyebrow. "Why should I believe anything you have to spew out. Last time I checked, you tried to kill me and Zeke, and you sent Argus after me. I'm surprised you're trying to trick me now, when you could just kill me right here, right now. Hell, you could use this void to torture me in every possible way."

Divus grinned. "I _COULD_, But _he_ wouldn't like that. No, wouldn't like that at all..."

Link raised an eyebrow. "Who's 'he'?"

Divus's hand raised up, slowly gripped the top of his hood, and threw it back.

Divus had spiky silver shoulder length hair, tan skin, and eyes that had silver irises. He spoke once more, "in order to tell you that, I'll have to start from the beginning."

Link sighed. He obviously had no choice but to listen to the peculiar man before him. He could tell it was going to be a long tale, so he sat down on the voidal ground – if there was a ground.

Divus closed his eyes in recollection, as he began his tale.

"One hundred years ago, after the first Link had defeated Ganondorf, and sealed him in the Evil Realm, there was peace, for a time, under the hand of Queen Zelda. But, despite the peace with the King of Evil gone for a time, there was chaos brewing.

I grew up along with the Templars in a village that was destroyed by Ganondorf. My village was the first to be destroyed, as our kind was the most threatening to him. You see, I'm sure you've heard this before, but all Hylians have a sense of magical prowess. Our village, you see, had heightened senses of magics. Even the smallest child could create fire without using a fraction of their energy. Ganondorf knew this, and came there himself, and almost everyone, save a handful of villagers, and six small boys. You know three of them, Me, and Argus. But the third, is _him_. You'll find out who he is later, as I have previously stated.

After the Hero of Time sealed Ganondorf away, and Zelda sent him to relive his lost seven years, she took rule. We pleaded with her to lend us assistance to rebuild our once strong village, but she declined, stating that _our kind _should not be allowed to progress, for sake of another Ganondorf wanting more power than he or she already had.

'_Our kind'_! How dare she! I can still remember the smug look on her face, as if she _knew_ she was making the right decision!"

At this, Divus clenched both fists tight, while he gazed at them. Clearly, he wanted vengeance, but he had no means to do so, to Link, at least.

"Moving on..." Divus started once more, letting his hands drop to his sides, "We decided that we didn't need her to rebuild our village. We had everything to rebuild it, and we did. Only, after several raids by bandits and left-over monsters, almost all of us were dead! I can remember the exact amount... We went from 100 survivors to ten. TEN. IN A MATTER OF DAYS. You have no idea the amount of pain we felt, to be the last of _'OUR KIND'_ As _she_ has stated. The remaining ten of us wanted to kill her, to make her feel our pain...

Regrettably, we lacked the power. She, after all, was the bearer of a Triforce. We didn't let that stop us. For years, we trained and trained, heightening our physical, mental, and magical strengths. We became commandos, and thus, we named ourselves the Templar.

Still, we were insufficient. We needed more power... and we found it. We found it, alright. We quickly learned that the Light World had magic flowing through it, all of the different powers. There were points in the world that the powers flowed through the strongest, and if a human were to absorb these energies, they would gain inhuman power that could rival the Triforce Pieces.

But it wasn't easy. We had to dig up ancient information about these rituals to do it, and found that even the most trained sages could only absorb one element. But, we decided we were above them, foolishly. The Ten of us went to each point in the world to gain our powers. The Sages were considerably weak after Ganondorf's sealing, so they had to lock themselves away to the Temple of Light for slumber to regain their strengths, leaving the Temples, where the elements flowed strongest, unguarded.

Argus, the Templar of Flames, went to the Fire Temple, where the Element of Fire flowed the strongest, and became the Templar of Flames.

Aeries, went to the Wind Temple where the Element of Wind flowed strongest, and became the Templar of Wind.

Gaia went to the Earth Temple where the Element of Earth flowed strongest, and became the Templar of Earth.

Saion went to the Water Temple, where the Element of Water flowed strongest, and became the Templar of Water.

_That man_ went to the Shadow Temple, where the Element of Darkness flowed strongest, and became the Templar of Darkness.

I went to the Spirit Temple, where the Element of Spirit flowed strongest, and became the Templar of Spirit.

There were also unsuccessful attempts, as I have stated there were ten of us. The remaining four went after the lesser elements, and failed, dying in the process. That added to our vengeance, since there were now four of us. In rage, we attacked Castle Town. We decimated it, leaving nothing but RUIN! The feeling... so exhilarating! You may have noticed, because the last location of Castle Town, was near the Temple of Time."

Link's mouth hung open at that. No doubt this man was telling the truth. Midna had murmured something about magic in the air at the Temple of Time. Evil magic, too. It was old, but it was so powerful that it lingered for 100 years. The ruins were insult to injury. It looked as if someone had reigned hell.

Divus sighed, before continuing. "We reached the Throne Room, and confronted Zelda. We killed her guard, but she wouldn't die. She was still _STRONGER!_"

Divus roared, unleashing raw power at the memory. The Void twisted and turned at the new release of energy, making it unstable, until Divus reclaimed his calm. "She beat us! We put up a fight, but she still won! Then, the sages, woke from their slumber, and the Light Spirits came into play. Using the remaining power of Zelda, the remaining power of from the Sages, and the raw power of the Light Spirits, we were cast aside into the Twilight Realm! We were weak, we had used most of our power in the attack, yet, we had failed. _He_ didn't take it so well.

By gathering his power for one hundred years, he ripped a portal to the Light World, entered it, and sealed it off from the other side, leaving us behind."

Link took a moment to absorb all this. "Who is the Templar of Darkness?" He finally asked.

Divus looked at Link, as he muttered a single word.

"Zeke."

Link's mind back flipped and his stomach twisted. He felt himself grow weaker.

"After we were banished, we decided to take control of the Twili, and use their power to create a dimensional rift, to travel from Light World to Twilight Realm, and conquer both in acts of revenge. But Zeke strayed. He wanted more, he wanted complete destruction, so that both races could never recover. To feel what we felt. But We, the remaining Templars want to rule on top with an Iron Fist, and we will have that. Zeke will die by our hand, and soon, you and Midna will too."

Link grew angry. "Why are you telling me this! Zeke would never do this! You have to be lying! Telling me this would only sabotage your whole plan, because now, I will make sure you die!"

Divus smiled. "Big words, for someone who is near death himself. I heard Argus and General Robur gave you quite the time..."

"Shut up! I... I'll kill you!" Link stood up weakly, grabbing the hilt of the broken Golden Sword, and charged at Divus.

Divus simply smiled, as Link weakly sliced and struck at Divus, who evaded easily. "Midna doesn't love you in the way you love her. She doesn't even like you. She's just using you to get rid of us, so that the Goddesses will send you back, so she thinks, because she doesn't know what you went through."

"SHUT UP!" Link roared. He attacked again and again, more weakly each time.

"You just threw away the Light World for some girl that doesn't even love you. You were also betrayed by your best friend who plans to kill you in the end. You are just a pawn that isn't good for anything. You played your part in the Twilight Invasion, now that Ganondorf is out of the way, nothing can stop us! Zeke only acted to be your friend so that he could use you against us, then kill you, then follow his fleeting dream of both realms being destroyed. Midna never loved you, only used you to save her realm, then she left you behind. You aren't worth anything to anyone."

Link fell on his knees. Life was crumbling around him. He dropped the Golden Sword, and it met the ground. His eyes were dull and lifeless. If he killed the Templar, Zeke would prevail. If he didn't kill them, the Templar would kill Zeke, and Midna, and him, and rule both realms. Plus, Midna didn't even love him. He threw away the Light World for her, and he didn't even know how she felt toward him. Divus was right, he was _worthless._

Divus smiled, and in a snap, the void faded away.

XXXXXXX

Link found himself back in the hospital room, Divus opposite from him, his hood back on, and his arm outstretched. He looked to his right, and saw Zeke in his battle stance, and Midna charging up energy. Divus instantly teleported away, and Link found no strength in his legs, as he fell. These people beside him would betray him someday.

At least one thing was worth noting – His Golden Sword wasn't in half. It was all an illusion, but what happened was reality. Link met the floor, and blacked out.

XXXXXXX

_A/N:If this chapter seems like it doesn't make sense, it will soon. You will see that everything will come together in time._

_And sorry this chapter took so long. Hehe..._


	6. Chapter 6

**Tribulations of Twilight**

Chapter 6

Link sat on a hill, in the outskirts of Medietas. He sat on a rock, gazing at the Twilight Realm's sunset. It was beautiful. Unlike anything Link has ever seen. Toward the sun, the sky was in it's last moments of the radiant amber, with few black clouds in the sky. As the sky stretched outward, it turned from orange, to finally, a light brown. True, the Light World's sunset was beautiful, but the Twilight Realm's was surreal. One look, and you would be captivated. It was the small things like this that made Link almost not regret leaving the Light World. But, he would be stray from this all too soon for his liking, and remember the pain of decisions to come.

_What am I going to do once this is all over? Go live in the Palace? No. I couldn't. Midna doesn't love me, and I can't force that. I'll just fade away. I'll tell Midna, if she even cares, that the Goddesses are recalling me back. Then, I'll just travel. Explore the world, never stop._

_But... going on that path will be difficult. I... I'll have to... kill... Zeke. There's... no other way around it. Once this is over, Zeke will pursue his dream of total destruction of both realms. I can't allow it. Midna may not... love me... but I can't watch her die. If what Divus has told me is true... there can be no other way around it._

Link almost hated himself for these decisions he was making. But he had no choice. He couldn't bear to linger in the Palace, knowing that in time, he would see Midna choose a suitor who would deserve her, and watch her love him. It would be too much. Link could possibly quite kill himself, but the last rational voice in his head shouted, _Divus was lying to you!_ _What would be the point of that? He could have killed me then and there, but no. He told me everything. For what purpose I don't know. Maybe he knew that in time I would have a decision to make. Make a double-whammy, and before I could kill him, I would have to kill Zeke, or he would kill me. Or we would kill each other. The way I see it at this point is simply; Kill Zeke and let Divus kill me and rule, Kill Divus and let Zeke kill me and rule, or kill them both, and live a shell of a life. Great choices, huh?_

Link continued to stare at the sunset. He almost didn't detect the faint footsteps behind him.

"Link, is something wrong?" Zeke's voice rang.

_Oh, what, come to check on me, and fake cheering me up so I can fight the templars at my all?_ Link frowned, as Zeke drew near.

"You seemed distraught when you woke up earlier today, after you fainted twice." Zeke said, sitting near Link.

Link scowled, and recalled the memory.

XXXXXXX

_Link awoke, and found himself back in the same bed, with Midna and Zeke near. His head hurt, and he didn't even want to be near them. He knew in time what they were going to do. Midna would send him off somehow, and Zeke could possibly kill him. Oh, Joy._

"_Listen, Mr. Important Hero, you really can't save a realm when you collapse when an Enemy is near." Midna said, jokingly._

_Link frowned. _Since when did you care? You disliked me from the start. You just used me because I was the sacred beast, and you, a terribly cute, and adorable imp. Whoa, where did that come from? Know what? Fuck it! I know EXACTLY where that came from!_ Link thought bitterly._

_Zeke scowled, noticing the expression on Link's face. "Link, did something happen? When Divus held out his arm, I detected a large amount of magic being disputed from him."_

No, Really, Zeke? Of COURSE it came from Divus!_ Link thought. He mentally punched himself repeatedly._

_He stood up rather quickly, and threw on his clothes, and strapped his Golden Sword and Hylian Shield on his back. "I need to go somewhere. I'll be back soon."_

_Link walked past the two, and Midna opened her mouth to speak, but quickly stopped. _Something is definitely wrong_ she thought. _Could it be a side-effect of his weakened state? What did Divus do?

XXXXXXX

"What of it?" Link answered nonchalantly.

"Link, what happened back there?" Zeke shot a serious look at Link.

"Nothing happened."

"Yeah, okay." Zeke stood up suddenly, and looked at Link, "Midna and I can't help you when you're shutting yourself in like this."

Link scowled for the umpteenth time, "and why would you, or her care to help me?"

"Are you _retarded?_" Zeke grew frustrated. "For the love of Nayru, what is wrong with you?"

Link shot up to his feet. "What's wrong with me? More like what's wrong with you! Back there, Divus opened my eyes."

"'Opened your eyes' you say, well then, how did he do it when he was there for no more than two minutes?"

"Divus used some kind of spell to stop time, and transport us to a void of his. There, he told me _everything_. Like how you were, or _are_ the Templar of Darkness, and how you want both realms destroyed!"

A shadow loomed over Zeke's face, as night finally fell. "Is that what you truly believe? Then why would I waste four years of my life and yours to train you to utilize the potential of your Triforce? Why do you bear that scar across your face as a reminder?"

"So that you could use me against the Templar, then kill me over!" Link drew his Golden Sword, and Hylian Shield. "I should have never trusted you, or _her!_ Both of you are only using me, and are planning to let me go in the end! Well, I'm going to latch onto the only thing I have left - being the Hero of Twilight! I'm going to save this realm, even if there's nothing left for me in both the Light World, or the Twilight Realm!"

"So, this is what you believe? So be it." Zeke drew his claymore, as his tattoo began to glow.

Resonating with Zeke's tattoo, Link's Triforce began to glow as well.

"I will not let you accomplish your dream of destroying both realms!" Link charged at Zeke, striking at him with his Golden Sword, as Zeke blocked. The two interlocked, fighting each others strength.

"Then tell me, oh wise Link, why didn't I destroy the Light World when I was in it!" Hissed Zeke.

The two leaped away from each other, as they unleashed flurries of attacks against each other, only to be blocked by the other. "Because the Templar stood in your way! You couldn't destroy the Light World, because it would radiate too strong of energies, and Divus would latch onto that, and use his power of Spirit to create a Light World portal, and thwart you!"

Zeke's claymore sang through the air, as it penetrated through Link's defenses, and cut across his cheek. Uttering a grunt, Link retaliates by slicing across Zeke's chest.

Link back flipped away from Zeke, and clenched his left hand tight, as his Triforce began to glow crimson. Zeke ran toward Link, as Link slammed his hand against the ground. A bright red glow surrounded Link, as a sphere of fire consumed Link, radiating around him as the dancing flames created a perimeter around Link, then expanded rapidly, consuming Zeke.

Zeke cried out in pain, as the fire seared him. Link yelled out the incantation that would magnify the spells power, "Din's Fire!"

The flames increased, as Zeke yelled out in pain. It was consuming him all too quickly, and if he didn't do anything, he would surely die. Zeke began his counter attack.

His tattoo radiated Silver, as he dispelled Din's Fire. Link stood up, and faced a panting Zeke. Black energies swarmed Zeke.

"So I was right." Hissed Link.

"In one way." Zeke closed his eyes, as he utilized the power he swore he would never use again. An Aura of nothing but darkness enclosed around Zeke. Using the raw power, Zeke's eyes shot open as he held out his left hand, and a beam of darkness shot out.

Link saw it coming, but was too late to react. It hit him dead center in the chest, as he yelled out in pain. The beam ceased, as Link fell on his back.

Link leaped to his feet, panting. He pulled out a bottle filled with purple liquid. "I'll stop you, Zeke. I have to..." Feeling a twang of remorse, Link put the bottle of liquid to his lips, and drank slowly. He recovered from all of his injuries, as they healed extraordinarily fast. Even he wouldn't be kept down from his encounter with Argus.

A golden glow surrounded Link, as he put all of the new found energy into his sword. He charged at Zeke, with inhuman speed. Zeke too, enchanted his blade with his power of darkness, and charged at Link.

They clashed, their powers fighting against each other. They interlocked each other with their swords. It was here and now, that they used their full power. Link poured everything he had into his attack, as did Zeke.

Zeke radiated a dark purple, throwing everything he had, as he removed his claymore from the interlock, and stabbed out at Link.

Link followed suite, as he radiated gold, removing his Golden Sword from the interlock, and slicing at Zeke.

As the two exerted their powers, the compression released, creating an explosion. It danced furiously, as it glowed a bright white. It lit everything within 100 feet, as slowly, it ceased.

As the smoke cleared, the two warriors stood. Link's blade lodged into Zeke's ribs, as Zeke's claymore pierced into Link's right shoulder.

The two warriors both coughed a fine mist of red, as Link ripped his sword from Zeke, who grunted weakly, having no more strength in him.

Zeke's legs gave in, as he fell against the crater they made. He lay on his back, looking into the clear Twili sky.

Link withdrew Zeke's claymore from his shoulder, and fell on his knees, using his blood-soaked Golden Sword for support.

"Now you tell me, Link, how was I ever going to beat you?" Zeke spoke suddenly, in a strained voice.

Link's ears perked up, as he looked at Zeke.

"I couldn't beat you, when I was at my best. I am on the ground, and you still stand. Tell me, how was I going to kill you?"

Link's mind was a haze. "W-what do you mean?"

"I never had any intention of destroying both realms. Divus tricked you."

Link bit his lip, drawing blood. "Cut the bullshit!"

"Please, what would seriously be the point of lying to you now?" Zeke drew a raspy breath. "Tell me this, if Divus trapped you in a void where he is in control, why didn't he kill you then and there, and rid of one problem?"

Link's mind was racing The effects of the Great Fairy's Tears were fading, and he grew weak.

"Divus created an illusion. He trapped your mind into it, using his power of Spirit. He did it to lower your spirit, to make you manipulable. That's how he functions. He could have killed you there, and your mind would have shut down, believing you were dead. Then, he would cancel the illusion, and kill you in real life. He then could have summoned the other Templar, and could have killed me and Midna too." Zeke paused.

"Do you know why he didn't? Because he didn't have enough power. When we first encountered him, I truly did weaken him badly, only, I didn't use a backlash; I used my powers. He only had enough to create the illusion to trick you. Divus had hoped it would have resulted in that me and you would kill each other, so that the Twilight Realm wouldn't stand a chance."

Link took a moment to absorb all of this in. _I may or may not have just killed my best friend._ Link thought about that for a moment. _I nearly killed my best friend. I just nearly killed my best friend. WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST DO!_

Link gripped both of his temples, and screamed. He didn't know what to believe anymore. He screamed until he ran out of breath. To which, he started coughing horrendously. His left hand flew to his mouth, trying to stifle his coughing fit, but nothing worked.

Zeke lifted his head, as blood ran from the side of his mouth, he noticed Link's situation, and his mind immediately flew to a conclusion; that fter what Divus must have lied to him, and what Zeke must have told him must have been catastrophic to his health.

Zeke sat up, ignoring the severe pain, and crawled toward Link.

Link's coughing fit subsided, as he removed his hand from his mouth, to find a nice blotch of blood on his palm. Link tried to call upon the power of his Triforce, but he was spent.

"I guess we really messed each other up, huh?" Link remarked at their weakness.

Zeke sat near Link. "I guess so."

As if on cue, Link heard footsteps in the distance. He looked to where they were coming from, and he saw Midna and Dr. Koric, along with two other twili, who were wearing white robes. He assumed them to be some kind of medics.

"Link! Zeke! What the hell happened here! From the Palace, I saw an explosion of energy, and... Holy Hell! What happened to the both of you?"

Link scratched his head, before looking at Zeke. "Should we tell her?" He mumbled.

"Wouldn't be the best idea..." He replied, in the same tone.

Link was trying to think up a lie, when Dr. Koric and the two medics approached them. "You two, work on him-" He pointed to Zeke; "I'll work on Link."

Dr. Koric sat near Link, and made him lie down. He then reached inside his white robes, and pulled out a silver box. He unlatched it, and came into Link's view, were lots of tools. Some looked like they were meant to hurt.

Link gulped, and spoke. "C-couldn't you just... take me to the Palace and work on me there...?"

Dr. Koric shook his head, reaching in, and pulling out some tool that looked like a torture device, "Sorry, but you've lost enough blood as is, and, don't worry. Most of these only look like they will hurt."

Link sighed, as slowly, Dr. Koric took out some vials that were also in the box. He dripped the multicolored liquids onto Link's wounds. Most of them, he couldn't feel, but the ones that were applied to his shoulder wound, hurt like hell.

Link clenched his fist and teeth from the pain. "Holy Hell!" He screamed from clenched teeth, "are you applying ACID to my wounds?"

Dr. Koric smiled, and continued with his work. Some time passed, as Link lay in the crater. He gazed into the Twilight Realm's sky. The stars were also celestial, Link noted. They weren't just white, red, and blue like in Link's world, they were all sorts of colors. Pink, Purple, Blue, Red, Green, Black, and even yellow. He was almost envious from the variety of colors. He also noticed Midna was sitting near him the whole time, her knees up to her chin, and her arms wrapped around her legs. Though she was covering up most of her face, there was also a worried look in her eyes. Link was glad that Divus hadn't fully lied about her, but he still wasn't sure if she loved him.

Link caught himself gazing at her. Her midnight blue and black skin, with the cyan runes that only illuminated her already perfect skin. Her fiery red hair was to die for, and her crimson eyes seemed endless. Not to mention her luscious lips, with the purple lipstick she always wore.

Link was glad she wasn't wearing the hooded cloak that made her look like she had a cone head. Rather, she was wearing a black skirt, with a similar black blouse, and a black robe to protect herself from the cold.

Link turned his gaze back to the sky. He looked back at Dr. Koric, and he was stitching up some of his wounds, along with the shoulder wound. He was surprised he couldn't feel it. He guessed the liquids he poured onto him were supposed to cleanse the wounds and also numb them. _Well, they certainly worked, didn't they?_

Link noticed he wasn't hearing anything from Zeke. He turned his gaze to him, and found him unconscious, with the two medics working hastily, treating his wounds. Dr. Koric, Link noticed, was taking his sweet time.

"They had to drug him to make him unconscious. We couldn't numb him like I had did to you, or else he would be numb for a week." Dr. Koric told Link.

Link nodded in acknowledgment, and felt a twang of sorrow. He was going to enjoy the day where he killed Divus for making Link doubt his love, and his friend.

Link's mind wandered, mostly to parts of his quest.

XXXXXXX

_Link ran through Hyrule Field. The rain was hitting him hard, as his tongue flopped from his mouth to the side. He was tired, and if he kept this up, he could die. But he didn't care about himself. He didn't care about anything, save for the dying imp on his back._

_When foes approached, he attacked with such ferocity he had never shown before. He was on a rampage, and nothing would get in his way._

_Every second, he could hear Midna's breath grow fainter. He couldn't bear it, she was going to die. He wouldn't think about that, he was only thinking about saving her, and he was going to get her to the only place she could be saved; Hyrule Castle. He would charge right in through the front doors if he had to, take on anybody that would dare step in his path._

_He neared the entrance to Castle Town, tears beginning to form in his eyes. Midna's clench on his fur was growing fainter, she wouldn't last long._

_He roared through the doors, townspeople screaming at the wolf, and the imp. He didn't care, he ran through the streets, almost tackling civilians that cross him._

_Midna was in so much pain, it felt like her whole being was on fire. She found it hard to breathe. She was going to die, she knew it, but yet, she had hope. Hope that her wolf would save her. _I deserve to die after all I put him through._ She thought. _I was never nice to him once. I always bossed him around, put him to the edge of death once, and I didn't care. How stupid I was! And yet... he's... trying to save me. No, it couldn't be because he cares for me, he only needs me. Yes, only needs me to save his friends._ She watched, though. Watch as he yelled as best a wolf could, slaying enemies with such ferocity she had never seen before. And yet, he didn't stop there. She heard his heart beat faster with each passing second – all to get her to Zelda. She watched as he ran through castle town, growling at everyone who dare stand in his way. Barking as loudly as he could, as he ran through the square, and toward Telma's Bar._

_Link wasn't going to give up – he was going to save her. He was going to have to thank the cat someday for helping him into the secret passage to the Castle. But now wasn't the time. He had to save her. He was going to save her, and nobody, not even death was going to stop him._

XXXXXXX

_In Link's mind, he recalled first transforming into a wolf. He grimaced, as he neared the Wall of Twilight that blocked the way to Eldin's Province. He knew what was coming, and he was going to have to face it..._

_Midna popped from his shadow, and asked him if he wanted to proceed. He nodded, grimly. She knew what was coming, and to be honest, she didn't like it herself. She had watched once before, when she found him as the Sacred Beast._

_She entered the Twilight, and pulled him through._

_They stood there for a moment, and Link's breathes drew quicker. "They're doing this to me on purpose. They're trying to catch me off guard, to where I won't expec-" He never finished the sentence. All too soon, he screeched in pain, falling to his knees, as his transformation began._

_Bones twisted, and creaked. Muscles reformed, and hair started to grow. He felt every moment of it, and it was hell. He felt bones snap, bones mend, muscles stretch and thin. He felt his legs bend backwards, while his head screamed, _MY LEGS DON'T BEND THAT WAY! THEY DON'T BEND THAT WAY! _Sickening cracks filled the air._ OH DEAR GODDESSES, NOW THEY DO!

_After more sickening cracks, he lay on his furry side, panting heavily. He was still in pain, but it was thinning._

_Midna watched, concern, worry, and fear in her eyes. _Wait, since when do I care about him? I only need him for this quest to save my realm. _Still, she felt her heart beat fast, watching as Link breathe from the pain moments ago. She bit her lip. After a couple moments, she finally asked, "Well, Wolf Breath, are you done with your freak show? Can we please just hurry up?"_

_Wolf Link panted in her direction, as he wobbly stood, as she threw herself onto his back. He grunted, and turned his head to her growling, _Watch it! _He screamed at her in his head. She just grinned, as she kicked his sides, urging him forward._

XXXXXXX

_Link sat in a cave in Snowpeak. There was a raging blizzard outside, and there was no way in hell Link was going to travel in that. He sat near the entrance, gazing outside into the whiteness of the blizzard. Midna joined him by popping out of his shadow, and sitting near him, hugging her knees._

"_Goddesses DAMN, it's cold in here!" Midna exclaimed._

_Link sighed, and said, "Well, why don't you go back into my shadow?"_

_Midna looked at him, frowning. "Are you crazy? It's even worse in your shadow! When I'm in your shadow, my body is touching the ground, so I'm touching all of that snow out there!"_

_Link rolled his eyes, "You didn't complain earlier."_

"_That's because I had a choice, freeze in the wind, floating, or freeze in your shadow, while I'm stationary. I chose the one where I wasn't moving, so I stuck in your shadow. But now, there's almost no wind."_

_Link glanced at Midna, and she was shivering. Link felt bad for her, so an idea came into mind._

_Link gathered wood that was in the cavern, and made a pile out of them. Using his lantern, he started a fire. He started to remove his tunic and chain mail, but left his white undershirt on Tossing his chain mail aside, he put back on his tunic.. Midna wasn't paying attention. She was shivering, and she rubbed her arms in vain._

_Link suddenly grabbed her. Midna yelped in surprise, as Link wrapped his arms around her, and held her close. He removed her Fused Shadow, and set it on the ground. Midna looked up at Link, while he held her when she was wrapped in his tunic._

"_W-W-What are you d-doing?" She asked, as her teeth chattered._

"_Helping you warm up." He replied. Letting go of her for a second, he reached into his pack and pulled out a tan blanket. He wrapped it around them, staying close to the fire. Under the blanket, he started massaging her limbs._

"_What are you doing now?" She said, enjoying his touch, but at the same time her mind was racing._

"_I'm trying to prevent you from getting frostbite. I hear once you get that, they have to amputate whatever is frostbitten. I don't want to look at you with one arm missing because of Frostbite."_

"_Because I would be even more hideous..." Midna whispered under her breath._

_With his ears, Link caught the words. "No, not because your hideous, but because of the fact I can't stand to look at anyone I care about who was injured, and I didn't do anything about it when I could have. Plus, I don't think your hideous at all."_

_Link continued his massage, as slowly, Midna began to stop shivering, and became quite comfortable in Link's arms. She snuggled up to his warm chest, and lay her head against him. She could hear the beats of his heart, as it lulled her. Link stroked her back, tracing her shoulder blades and spine, as slowly, she began to fall asleep. The fire died long ago, but the two didn't notice. Link rested his head on Midna's, and slowly, closed his eyes, embracing the imp he held._

XXXXXXX

Link snapped back into reality, when Dr. Koric snapped in front of his face. "Hey, I'm almost done here." He announced.

Link nodded, as Dr. Koric drew out bandages, and patched them onto the smaller wounds, and took out gauze, and wrapped it around his chest, protecting the stitches and bandages he put on there. He took out one final bandage, and applied it to Link's cheek. Dr. Koric told Link that he was done, and Link sat up. Link glanced over at the two medics that worked on Zeke, and he noticed that Zeke was down to his leggings, as they were finishing up on his chest. Link noticed that he too, had no shirt. He looked around, and his mouth hung slightly at what he saw.

Midna was sewing something black, as she brought the needle up to her face, and bit the thread, cutting it. She held out her project, and it was Link's shirt.

"I didn't know you sew." Link said, impressed by her work. It looked as if the shirt was brand new.

Midna had a shadow of a blush, as she threw the shirt at Link. "Well, I picked up a few things in my life, Wolf boy."

Link thanked her, as he put on the shirt. Link looked down at himself. He didn't really have the time to actually know what he looked like. He was wearing a black short-sleeved shirt, white fingerless gauntlets, black pants, and black leather boots. He sighed. If he didn't have enough time to even look at himself properly, he must have not much time here to actually spend with Midna.

Link scowled at the thought. He noticed then that one of the medics stood, and walked over to Dr. Koric, "Doctor, we need to take this man to the hospital to finish his treatment, and for him to rest."\

Dr. Koric scratched his silver hair-filled head, before sighing. "Okay, okay." Dr. Koric snapped his fingers, as a dark blue glow surrounded the unconscious Zeke. Slowly, he began to levitate, as slowly, the three doctors took him away toward the hospital in Medietas.

Link felt immediately saddened. He slowly looked around, and found his Golden Sword still stabbed into the ground, with his blood drying on it. Disgusted with himself, Link drew the Golden Sword from the ground, before wiping it off on the ground. Looking for his sheath, and the Hylian Shield, he found them nearby in a patch of dirt. Picking them up and dusting them off, he donned them to his back, before sitting back down. _I shouldn't have been so vulnerable. I fatally wounded my best friend, and I probably could have done the same thing to Midna, if I was somehow enraged enough._

Sick with himself, he sighed. He noticed footsteps nearby, and he saw Midna sit down next to him, fiddling with a strand of her hair.

Link stared at her. _Could I have really driven myself to harm her? Could I have... killed her, if Divus plagued me enough...? Oh goddesses, what would I do with myself!_

Link tore his gaze from Midna, and to the ground.

"Link, what happened back there?" Midna asked suddenly.

_Oh, I do not need this. Don't need this at ALL. _"We ran into a Templar, but we manged to fend him off." Link answered, shuffling.

"Don't lie to me, wolf breath. What happened back there?" Midna scowled at Link.

Link bit his lip. "Long story."

Midna blew a strand of hair out of her face. "Okay, whatever, wolf boy."

Link sighed, "I'm sorry, but I really don't want to talk about it. I'll... I'll tell you later." He had a pained, regretful look in his eyes, that Midna noticed all too well. But, she left it alone, Link would tell her in time. Or so he said.

"We'd better start heading back." Link said, turning toward the Palace.

"Alright, fine. I'm just _ecstatic_ about the Council Meeting in the morning, that we all have to attend to. Explaining Zeke's condition without knowing too much about it will be just fun, won't it?"

Link shut his eyes together, wincing, as if Midna had directly kicked or punched him. He slowly walked to the Palace, Midna walking by his side, curious of what had transcended between Zeke and her hero.

XXXXXXX

_A/N: I hoped you liked this chapter as much I did writing it!_

_EDIT: I rewrote the ending, sorry about that!  
_


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N:Truly, I am sorry, but I heavily revised the ending of Chapter Six. As a forward, **Go back and read Chapter Six, for I changed the ending, and this chapter will make little sense if you have not read it.**_

_Man, I must look stupid. I keep on rewriting this story! Argh! Well, anyway, I hope you all can forgive me. You see, I plan out the story in quite a weird way. I more or less make some parts, not all of them, but just some parts up as I go, and for some god-awful reason, I wanted Midna and Link to profess their love early on, as opposed to it being later. I thought that I could work their love early in, and this is one of the reasons I rewrote the whole story in the first place; I thought I made them profess their love for each other too early. And here I go, repeating the same thing over again. I promise, my next story won't be like this. I won't keep rewriting it like a dumbass. Well, enough of me and my stupidness, on with the story.  
_

* * *

**Tribulations of Twilight**

Chapter 7

Link and Midna began their walk back to the Palace. Midna was thinking about a lot of things. _Link couldn't have done that to Zeke, could he? What would drive him to? No, he couldn't have. But... What exactly did happen?_

Link's mind was in more or less the same state._ What if Divus somehow drives me to kill Midna? Or harm her? No. Zeke said I have to be strong willed, or else I can be manipulable. I will NOT let anything happen to Midna._

_I'll protect her with my life._ Link thought.

Then, the wind picked up feverishly, blowing the blue-green leaves scattered on the fields on the outskirts of Medietas. The trees shook, as suddenly, a voice sounded from in front of the couple.

"How ironic." It rang.

Midna got into a battle stance, readying her magic. Link unsheathed his Golden Sword, holding it in a tight grip, as he grabbed his shield, and got into a battle stance of his own, twirling his sword once.

For across from them, was a man in a silver cloak. Just like the others, the hood was up, concealing his features. The cloak had black runes running down it, similar to Divus.

"So, the Hero of Light has finally met the Templar of Darkness!" The man seemed to laugh.

Link grew insanely pissed. He bared his teeth, letting out a low growl. His wolf side must have had a bigger effect on him that he thought.

"Oh, Oh man. I love ironic moments like this. Do you know why?"

Midna stared at Link. _Met the Templar of Darkness? So there's six of them? What's going on?_

The man held out a hand. "Because I can't wait to see what will happen!"

Pure white energy encircled his hand. It danced like Fire, but it was wispy, like Wind. It looked solid, like Earth, but it was as clear as Water. "A present from Divus," the man announced.

Reeling his arm back, the man suddenly threw his arm out, releasing the energy at Midna.

It stuck Midna dead center in the chest, as she let out a pained and surprised yelp. She flew back from the attack, and landed upon the ground.

"No!" Link screamed, as he turned his back to the man, and looked at Midna, who was no longer there. In her place, was her tattered clothes on the ground.

Link stood, completely still. His arms fell completely limp to his sides, as he looked. Midna wasn't there, just her clothes, that lay upon the ground. He had failed, after he vowed to protect her. He had _failed._

She was dead, and Link couldn't even mourn her corpse properly.

Link thought about that statement for a moment. She was dead. Midna, the Twilight Princess, dead. His imp, gone. In the blink of an eye. He never even got to tell her how he felt.

Link's teeth were clenched tight. He had a death grip on his Golden Sword, as his Triforce shined radiantly. His knuckles turned white.

He turned back around, as the man had his hands on his hips, his hood down. He had silver crew-cut hair, with black eyes. He had a scar going horizontally across his forehead, and that stupid grin that just said, _"Look what I did!"_

"By the way, I'm Aeries, the Templar of Wind!" He announced. As if it mattered.

"I'm going to fucking kill you!" Link screeched. He charged at Aeries, his eyes blazing with a cold fury only Ganondorf saw once. He felt the warmth of his Triforce spreading throughout his body. Link glowed a golden aura, as he charged.

Aeries threw out his arms, and from his sleeves, two daggers flew to his hands, as he grabbed them. The daggers had white blades foot long blades, with white hilts.

Link and Aeries clashed. Link was relentless, wanting his vengeance in all the blood that Aeries could shed. Remembering his training, and elemental counters, Link's Triforce glowed the familiar crimson red, as he slammed his shield into Aeries, making him stumble.

Link knelt on his knee, and stabbed his Golden Sword into the ground, and exclaimed, "DIN'S FIRE!"

A blazing inferno erupted from the Golden Sword, in its place in the ground. It surrounded Link, the crimson flames dancing around him, as they slowly consumed Aeries, who cried out in pain. The inferno's dancing flames mirrored Link's determination, and lust for revenge. Then, the flames condensed around Aeries, and suddenly, exploded.

Link removed his blade from the ground, and stood across from Aeries, who was breathing heavily, a hand on his chest.

"You think I'm going to throw in the towel! Well think again!" He hissed.

Aeries stood tall, his element of choice circling around him. He held out his right hand at Link, as the wind picked Link up, and threw him to the ground, as he slammed against it.

Not relenting, Aeries picked up Link once more with his wind, he held out his left hand, and clenched it.

Link felt a collar around his throat, as slowly, he couldn't breathe. Aeries was choking him with the Wind.

He felt the coldness of the Wind, as it swarmed around his throat. Link's mind was racing, as he quickly thought of a plan.

Link suddenly was surrounded in fire, as it ate away the wind encircling him, as he fell to the ground. He slammed on his back, coughing and sputtering, trying to regain his breath.

Taking a deep breath, Link stood up. He faced Aeries, who was charging up another attack. Link's hand clenched as he gripped the Golden Sword. Enchanting it with Fire, it glowed a red aura, as the edges suddenly erupted into flames.

Link charged at Aeries, who let go of his daggers at his side, as they floated. Aeries slammed his hands together in a sort of sign, as a large amount of wind suddenly started swirling around Aeries.

Link couldn't even draw close, he stood around Aeries, watching the wind circle around him. Suddenly, Aeries threw out his hands at Link, and the wind suddenly thinned, to where Link could barely see it. Then, all too quickly, it encased Link, as the wind felt like millions of blades cutting him almost everywhere. The Wind was relentless, as slowly, it dissipated, leaving a very magically exhausted Aeries, and an injured Link.

Link stood tall, not going to fall. He charged at Aeries, who grabbed his daggers back from midair.

The fire encasing the Golden Sword grew, as Link diagnolly sliced, holding the Golden Sword's hilt with both hands, as Aeries encased himself in a wind barrier, trying to repel Link. Aeries stopped Link's flaming blade with both his daggers in an X formation. But, the flaming blade cut through the wind, and sliced through Aeries' daggers, and landed a fatal cut on Aeries.

Aeries screamed, as he dropped his broken daggers, and fell on his back from the attack.

Link released the Golden Sword from the fire enchantment, and sheathed it. He knew Aeries was spent, and dying.

Aeries slowly stood, his image dissipating, and becoming wispy. "You..! You couldn't have beaten.. m-me! I.. I'm the Templar of Wind! The Wind is everywhere! I'm all powerful!"

Despite his vanity in his title, Aeries was slowly dissipating, starting from his hands, and feet. "No! This can't be happening!" He screeched.

Already, his arms were stubs, and as were his legs. His chest began to dissipate as well. "You! This is not... over! Divus is the Templar of Spirit! Using Spirit's connection to all elements, he... He will bring me back! I will have.. my Vengeance!"

Despite the threat, Aeries dissipated completely, and was no more.

Link half heartily donned his Hylian Shield to his back, and walked. He walked to whatever was left of Midna, which was only her clothes. He saw the tattered cloth that lay upon the ground, and tears welled up in his eyes. That attack must have vaporized her, and now, she didn't even have a corpse to mourn.

Link covered his eyes with his left arm, as tears silently flowed. He sat there for at least a minute or two, weeping silently.

Then, he heard a rustle. He looked up, his eyes red, and looked around. He saw something moving in Midna's tattered clothes. Desperately, he grabbed out, and he felt a small body in the black cloth.

_It couldn't be!_ He thought.

As he tossed an article of clothing, it revealed a small body, that couldn't be larger than three or four feet.

Midna was an imp again, with her crimson and orange hair flowing down her back, with some bangs in front of her forehead and eyes and her black and white skin, as she lay on the grass.

Link's heart leapt. Midna slowly opened her eyes, as she blinked once or twice, then, her eyes widened, as Link picked her up, and held her, like he once did at the Castle once she shattered the Barrier, and like the nights when they were cold up at Snowpeak.

"Link? What are you doing? Where are we? Ouch, my head..."

Link let go of her. "Before I tell you that, you might want to look at yourself."

Midna gave Link a puzzled look, then she looked at herself, and her eyes widened, as her eyes looked like giant rubies as she realized she was an imp again.

"Oh, this is _great._ Fantastic. Wonderful. For the love of Nayru, how am I going to face the Councilors and my people like this? _How_ did I even get back into this form?"

"Well, we encountered Aeries, the Wind Templar on our way back to the Palace. He said something along the lines of that this was a present from Divus. Arrogant prick. Then, I guess he somehow transformed you back into an imp. He used some kind of magic, probably given to him by Divus, and then... Forget that you're an imp, I'm just glad your alive! I thought he killed you..." Link rubbed his eyes with a white gauntlet.

Now that Midna got a better look at Link, he was pretty beaten up. There was blood running from cuts and gashes all over his body.

Exasperated with the situation, Midna put a finger on Link's chest, and said, "Dammit, I just sewed that shirt back up, and you already got it torn up again? What am I going to do with you, Mr. I-can't-keep-a-decent-pair-of-clothes?"

Link laughed, before standing back up. Midna floated up to his height. She missed being taller, and now she was going to get used to floating to match his height. Rubbing her temple, she was confused on what they were going to do now. The two stood in companionable silence.

After a couple moments, Link spoke up. "We should go see Zeke. I have an idea, and I want to tell both you and him. By the way, are your powers diminished like before?"

Midna held up a hand, and almost effortlessly, dark blue electricity arced up her arm, and into her palm, and created a small ball of lightning. "Nope. I guess it wasn't the same spell Ganondorf used." Then, she canceled the spell, and the ball of lightning dispersed.

"Then let's go." Link began walking toward Medietas, but Midna stopped him, by placing a hand on his shoulder. Link turned around to face Midna, and her gaze was downcast. "Let me hide in your shadow again, please? I don't want the Twili to see me like this..."

Link smiled sympathetically and nostalgically, and nodded. Midna smiled in thanks, and dove into his shadow. He set out for Medietas.

* * *

Link walked into Medietas, only this time, the guards didn't even try and knock him out. Rather, he saw one of their legs shaking. Link chuckled to himself at the sudden change.

Link walked through the stone gates, and into the town square. The Town Square consisted of a statue of a long dead knight, and benches surrounding the night, with some twili sitting on them, and other twili walking around, carrying goods, packages, some walking with couples, and others mostly trying to get where they need to go.

Link walked through the town getting looks that consisted of respect, dislike, or complete confusion. It irked him, to say the least.

Finally finding the Hospital, he entered it, hoping to find Zeke.

Link basically threw the door to Zeke's room open after getting lost about seven times. The person at the front desk was of no help, either. He hastily scanned the room, praying for not another awkward confrontation with a rather sick or injured twili.

He found Zeke sitting up in a white bed, reading some kind of book. He had bandages on his forehead, cheek, and torso. He probably had some on his legs, but the blanket was covering them up.

Zeke looked up at the sudden disturbance, and closed the book nonchalantly. "You had to mess me up _this_ bad? I mean, I got injured in places I didn't even know I _had_."

Link bit his lip. "Sorry..." He replied, walking over to the injured man's bed.

From his shadow, Midna looked up in confusion.

"And what's with you? You get into a boxing match with a bear?" Said Zeke, noticing Link's condition.

"I had a run in with Aeries." Link replied, pulling a chair up and sitting down.

Zeke's eyebrow twitched at that. "I see... What about Midna? You tell her about me yet?"

Link sighed. "Midna, come on out. There's something Zeke and I have to tell you."

Midna flew up from Link's shadow hesitantly. Her mind was running, as she thought about Link and Zeke. _Why were they injured when I found them? Did they fight each other? Why?_

Zeke looked at Midna strangely. "Why is she... like that?"

"Hmph." She pouted, turning her gaze elsewhere.

Link scratched his head, "Aeries did that to her, saying it was a present from Divus."

"Ah."

"Well anyway, Midna, Zeke.. For better lack of words, is the Templar of Darkness." Link began.

Midna suddenly snapped her attention to Zeke, eyes wide, and her hand pointing at him suddenly, purple energy gathering to her palm.

"Wait!" Zeke flinched. "Let me explain!"

"What's there to explain! Is this what you were hiding from me? Are you helping him, Link? Is that what you two were fighting about?" She accused, the energy never leaving her palm.

Link cringed on every word. "No, not at all! If you would let him explain, it will make sense!"

Midna clenched her teeth, furious, and wanting answers. She reluctantly canceled the attack, and her arm met her side.

Zeke sighed in relief, happy to see another day.

Zeke sat up straight, and looked at Midna, "I want you to listen closely, this is the story of the Templars, that Link already knows."

Midna scowled. "What do you mean?" She asked, venom clear in her voice.

Link turned to her, "I'll tell you more of it later, but when Divus paid us a visit, he cast me in an illusion and made me doubt Zeke. That's why we fought, but I'll explain that later when Zeke is finished. Maybe it will make more sense then?" He explained, scratching his head, unsure himself.

Midna scoffed, and turned her imp gaze elsewhere, waiting.

Zeke began speaking the tale Link knew all too well, as Divus had told him.

Zeke finished his tale, and Midna was silenced. She couldn't speak, as she took a moment to absorb it all in.

Then, Link turned to her. "Divus cast me into an illusion that made me doubt Zeke because of this tale; he said that Zeke wanted both realms to be completely annihilated to feel what the Templars felt. I couldn't trust him, but Zeke decided to prove me wrong. I fought him, and well... here I am standing, and Zeke is laying in bed, far worse than he is. Zeke proved to me that I was stronger, that he would have no chance to ever do anything like that, and no reason to."

Midna floated in thought. They all sat there in silence, for about five minutes, when Zeke suddenly spoke up.

"Moving on, we need to eliminate the Templar as soon as we can. I'm fine now, so I can hurry up and lead you to where their fortress is."

Zeke started to rise from his bed, when Link suddenly stopped him by putting a hand on his chest, and pushing Zeke lightly back down to the bed.

"Are you sure? I mean, are you even alright?" Link inquired.

Zeke waved off Link's hand, and stood up, unwrapping bandages. "I can assure you Link, I'm fine. We'd better leave right away to regain Midna's true form, and save this realm."

Zeke finished unwrapping the bandages, as they sat on a pile on the floor. Zeke's chest was covered in scars, as he put on his black sleeveless shirt, and strapping his claymore to his back. He turned to Link and Midna. "We'd better head off."

Link nodded, as Midna dove into Link's shadow, as they left the Hospital.

* * *

_A/N: Well, sorry this took so long. Review, please!_


	8. Chapter 8

**Tribulations of Twilight**

Chapter 8

The duo walked along the stone pavements of the Eastern Bridge of Medietas, while a certain shadow creature lingered upon the bearer of the Triforce of Courage's shadow. Link's mind wandered, never truly focused upon one thing. He found himself unable to even trust himself, sometimes. He felt foolish, and that anxiety of ever dreaming to hurt his comrades again brought the adrenaline through his arms, the frustration coursing through his veins. He wanted to scream, scream to release the pent up aggression towards his own self. He felt inadequate as a warrior, one who lost his sight due to meaningless lies and fabled truths brought upon him.

He furrowed his brow in thought, his cerulean eyes clouded as he kept his gaze low upon the gray brick that made up the bridge. He heard his own leather boots echo, his sols meeting the ground. If he listened hard enough, he could hear the water that lay in the moat. It trickled past peacefully, but for some reason, that just provoked him. He wanted silence, silence to gather his own thoughts and personal views upon himself. He frowned. He was never this stingy before, his own self could notice. And yet, he clenched his teeth through closed lips.

Zeke cast an azure eye his way, and Link caught it all too easily. Then, a thought dawned upon him; did Zeke still even trust him?

Trying to gather his mind on other things, he stretched out his left arm, and yawned slightly. He placed his left arm in front of his face, as with his right hand he fiddled and checked the straps of the white gauntlet. Upon closer inspection, the gauntlet was a white glove that extended past his wrist, with a white metal surrounding it. He dabbled with the tightness of the metal's straps until he thought it was adjusted fine enough. He never knew when his shield could break again, or if he could lose it.

That brought up a thought within his mind. Raising a barely visible eyebrow through his now long and shaggy dark blonde, almost brown hair; he tapped the plating material of the gauntlet. He heard a ring he had not heard before. _Is this even metal?_ He looked up, casting some of his hair to the side at the brown hues of the night twilit sky. He saw the bluish moon, and adjusted the plating so that the moon could shine upon it. He saw the metallic reflection. _This is metal, all right. Or, at least metallic._ He concluded.

He sighed, he was just being ridiculous. He had used the gauntlet before in the heat of battle, and it proved its worth.

However, his quirks did not go unnoticed to those lingering in the nearby shadows.

A pair of two ruby eyes looked up at him in puzzlement, and question. She had never seen him anxious before, or when she did, it was when he did a check of his equipment outside a usually gargantuan door, strained by huge chains that locked it in place and often; a rather intimidating lock upon it.

Casting his own emotions aside, he began to regain some of his composure. They were now walking on the blue-green grass of the Twilight Realm, towards the mountains that loomed over the land in the horizon. "Is that where we are headed?" Link inquired, casting a sideways glance at Zeke.

"Yup. The Lost Cathedral of the Templars is near the top of it." Zeke answered, the claymore wielding warrior as calm as ever.

Link could not help but admire his counterpart. Throughout their journey, Zeke has not lost sight of what his goal was, or what he was set out to do. His azure eyes always gazed forward, and that personality saved Link from Divus the moment they arrived in this forsaken realm.

He guessed it would be some time before they reached the Mountain.

* * *

Lunaris paced in his chambers, rubbing his chin. Something was off, something indeed. Lienosus was plotting something. A Coup d'état? Possibly. Lienosus WAS known for being power hungry.

Lunaris shook his head, and sat down on his bed, tapping his chin in serious thought. And where was the Princess? He hadn't heard from her in a long while. Did Lienosus by chance kidnap her? Unlikely. Now, he was just being ridiculous.

He heard a knock on his chamber door, and cast a ruby glance in its direction. "Enter." His more or less commanded.

Entering in sort of a shuffle, was Councilor Anxia, twiddling with his black thumbs. "U-Um, Lunaris..? Er, I mean Councilor.. Lunaris.."

"Anzia, we are good friends and we're both outside the meeting room. What is troubling you?" Lunaris said in a calm voice for his childhood friend.

Anxia just nervously chuckled a little, being his timid self as he closed the door and leaned up against it. "Well, you see.. I just talked with High Councilor Cerebrum, and... Midna is gone."

Lunaris stood up. "What!" He exclaimed.

"W-W-Well.. You know how Cerebrum is.. He.. sensed that she was no longer in Medietas' grounds.."

"That's insane! Where else could she be!" Lunaris placed a hand upon his forehead, pacing.

"A-And Link and Zeke are gone as well.."

"Well where they hell did they go!"

"How s-should I know?"

Lunaris shook his head, sighing. "This is bad. Perhaps they left early without telling us? But what would be their reasoning!" He said, tapping his forehead as if he wanted to unlock some hidden level of psyche within him.

"That's what I figured, too." Anxia told, playing with a bang of his orange hair. "B-But what if Lienosus and Ordinatur seize this time to... Take over?"

"It would be a good time to." Lunaris thought out loud, "though, I think they would want to when they know the princess is gone, for her powers far surpass ours. Any opposition they could throw at her would be swatted like flies."

"Yeah.. But, you never know.." Anxia fiddled with his thumbs some more, biting the inside of his jaw.

"Aside from that.." Lunaris paused, looking back to his old friend, then walked over to his chamber window, peaking out into the Twilight Realm's horizon. Something he'd always do when he was distressed, or disturbed. "The Templar are also strong. Link, the Hero of Light and Twilight was troubled by Argus. And he wasn't even the leader." Lunaris paused, looking down at his hands and clenched them. "Anxia, a dark time is upon us; if it hasn't swept us already."

* * *

Link and Zeke rested by a campfire, the crimson and scarlet hues of the dancing flames lighting up the area around them. They had gathered some nearby wood and branches from trees, and made a quaint little fire before them. Midna was sleeping next to Link, a peaceful expression on her features. Zeke yawned, leaning back.

"Say, Zeke.. How long do you think it will be until we reach their fortress?" Link asked, casting a sideways glance to him.

"About another day if we travel right." He said, as he closed his eyes. "Get some sleep, Link. It's been a long day." With that, the blond haired warrior rolled over to his side, and in a few moments was snoring.

Link sighed, then looked over to the sleeping imp, and smiled. He lay beside her, and yawned, finding his eyelids to droop. He closed his sapphire eyes, and fell asleep.

Somewhere into the night, he was awoken. He was laying on his back as he opened his eyes, looking skyward. He looked downward at his chest and found a small imp laying on his chest, curled up into his clothes, sleeping safe and sound with a faint smile upon her features. Link smiled softly with a raised eyebrow. He wanted to wrap his arm around Midna, yet he didn't want to disturb her. So, he just lay his head back and closed his eyes.

* * *

Link slept pretty easily through the night. He awoke to look down at his chest, finding Midna to be gone from wrapped snugly in his torso. He sat up, stretching and making a small grunt. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, opening them and looking around for his two counterparts. He found Zeke idly practicing, while Midna was floating with her arms behind her back, looking off into the distance at the mountain.

She turned to look behind her, gazing upon Link. "So, have a nice nap, Wolf boy? Good, because we need to get going."

Link smirked slightly, standing up. He looked to the fire, beside the ash of it being his equipment where he last left it. He walked over to it, and strapped on the blade of the Golden Sword, donning his shield over it.

Zeke stopped, putting his claymore on his back to restrap it, turning around to Midna and Link. "Now that we're ready to go, let's not waste any time. If we hurry, we might reach there by the afternoon."

* * *

Link finished up an exotic fruit of the Twilight Realm. It looked like a mix of a Pineapple, and a Banana. Its taste was something all on its own; sweet. It was indescribable. He had plucked it off a tree as they passed by, Zeke and Midna taking one of their own as well.

"These fruits, if you could call them, are called _Dulci. _They're rather delicious, aren't they? Must more tastier than any fruit you Light Dwellers have." Midna snickered, licking her lips of the fruit.

That made Link pause for a moment in his step,casting a glance to his side, being reminded of what he had given up once more. _Even if she doesn't care for me back, it still feels good to be on one last adventure with her._

Midna suddenly stretched, floating in midair as she playfully yawned. "Being out here is so bothersome. I'm Royalty, I shouldn't have to walk these distances anyway!" She turned to Link with an impish smile, and dove into his shadow. "Now hurry up Wolf boy, you've got to save this realm again."

"Well it's not like you walked anyway." He rolled his eyes, following behind Zeke; who kept his gaze forward, at the mountain.

They were approaching it fast, almost at the base of the large structure. It was very high indeed, it made Link feel a tad dizzy looking all the way up into the Twilit skies, and he couldn't even see the top. There was a huge cloud obstructing their view of it.

"Any ideas on how we're going to get up there?" Link wondered aloud, rubbing his chin. _I guess if I really had to, I could climb up with my bare hands, but... _Link looked down at his palms, raising a golden eyebrow. _Let's save that for when I have no other options._

Link felt a magic presence form behind them, as he whirled around. He placed his left hand on the hilt of his golden blade, his cerulean eyes perceiving. From the corner of his hawk-like vision, he saw Midna ready fire magics, as Zeke simply looked over his shoulder.

There, in front of them now was a man in a dark blue cloak. He wasn't too tall, and the hood of the cloak was down. He had azure hair, the left side of his hair down and covering his left eye, the right side back and revealing the right side of his face. Before the trio could react, he held up a gloved hand.

"Do not be alarmed – I mean you no harm. You may know me as the Templar of Water – Saion." His voice was monotonic, seemingly careless. Yet behind that covering tone, sadness flowed through his voice.

Midna folded her arms and raised an eyebrow. "And if you're not going to try and splash us in the eyes with your water, what are you here for?"

Saion didn't even blink. "Water is purifying. It cleanses, and heals. It has cured my once plagued soul of ill intent. Now all that fills the scars is a deep regret." As if to symbolize his point, he waved his raised arm, a trail of water following it before falling to the barren ground, sprouting a twilit flower.

"The only way to cleanse my regret, is if we are stopped." Saion held out his hand toward them. "Allow me to explain our true intentions, so that the cleansing water of truth can purge your minds, and fill you with ice's frozen will;

"Divus's sole purpose is to throw the worlds into deep destruction. Obliterate everyone, and you are left with nothing. But Obliterate what bias and prejudice they have, and they will lean on once hated figures.

"No race will be discriminated, no orientation will be looked down upon. Throw everyone into chaos, and they will all lean onto each other for support. No one would care then if a Human and Twili live together – For in the new age, all that was created, was created by everyone's hands. And the Creators will have the Right to be by their creations, even if it is a new order.

"But, someone will have to lead this new age, and that's what Divus intends to do. Destroy everything sacred, and save everyone from the destruction as a King – No. A God. Everyone will be in peace, flowing like a river. But, it will be a false peace – Created only by destruction, remorse, regret, anger, sadness. This is why Divus must be stopped."

Link listened carefully, folding his arms and leaning on one leg. He was pretty sure he had not need say anything whatsoever. And that's what he did. He just accepted what Saion had told them, mulling over what little he knew. Midna seemed to be mulling it over as well, and Zeke let his arms hang down by his sides, his eyes closed in thought.

Saion walked toward them, clenching his hands. "I will use all of my power to override Divus's magics on this sacred Mountain. I will provide you a path. After I make this path, you must not turn back you three." Saion's deep ocean eye was filled with fury. "Stop him!"

Without a word and too quick for anyone to say a word, Saion walked past them at the base of the mountain. He clenched his hands, as a cerulean energy surrounded them. He then thrust his hands outward as water formed all around the mountain, swarming upwards of the rock to the point, covering it in the clear liquid. The Mountain gleamed a soft sheen from the reflection of the water. All around the mountain was the smell of an ocean, and the sound of a Waterfall. A soothing sound to anyone's ears.

Then instantly, all the water turned to ice. The Mountain looked like a familiar sight – the Frozen Depths of Snowpeak. A chill began to emanate, making chills run up Link's spine as he felt a great shockwave pulse out, as the Ice broke. It flew in all directions, into a soft snow that began to fall on the four figures. The Mountain looked anew – and infront of them was a staircase made from raw energy, similar to the Mirror of Twilight. But the steps were pure cerulean.

Saion turned back to them, letting his hands fall back to his sides. He began to evaporate, steam coming off of his frame.

"I have cleared the path for you, purging the Mountain of tricking magics. Please, stop him. Stop us."

With those final words Link would keep to heart, Saion was no more. Nothing but a memory to the Hero, his love and his friend. A fleeting dream. But now, their final trial awaited them.

Link looked to Midna and Zeke, one of who's ruby eyes were widened. "These templars can't seem to make up their minds on anything." Midna rubbed a temple, still flabbergasted at the immense display of power Saion had unleashed.


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: Well, for a make-up of not uploading in a long time, I present to you Chapter Nine a day after Chapter Eight was released!_

_I really enjoyed writing this chapter._

* * *

**Tribulations of Twilight**

**Chapter 9**

The Trio had finally reached the top of the mountain after a long walk up the elevated stairs. Once Link's foot left the cerulean step, the staircase faded into nothingness. He looked behind him at the distance they had traveled, seeing the Twilight Realm's full beauty at the top of the world. They had come a long way, and he knew nothing would be able to stop them. He felt conviction flood through his veins, as he turned his gaze forward.

The tundra withheld a Gothic-style Cathedral. Midna was in front of the golden haired warrior, and he could see the look in her eyes. It was unfamiliar to him... Was it.. Pain?

Midna was saddened, her arms behind her back as she floated in the air quietly. She knew that their quest was almost over... Again. That would mean Link would be leaving... Just after she got to see him again, it felt like. She had secretly hoped the quest would've lasted longer, but they had a job to do. Like always.

Zeke turned around, folding his arms as he faced Midna and Link. "Well... Here we are." He said, closing his eyes softly. "Are you two ready for what's ahead?"

Link clenched his left hand, a small pulse shooting through his body. "Yeah. Let's end this." He bit the inside of his jaw once he finished his sentence. He wondered. He looked to the form of the floating imp. Words swarmed through his mind, yet his voice was gone. Later. He would tell her later.

Link began to walk toward the great doors of the cathedral. Zeke following close behind. Midna was on the other side of Link.

Each step he took, he felt the doors move far away. Yet, soon his hand reached the door. He hesitated, building up his nerve as he threw the door open, drawing out the Golden Sword. Zeke latched onto his claymore, as Midna had an aura around her of sheer power.

Link walked to the center of the Cathedral, intricate designs filling the room as across them, a man sat upon a throne. _This looks familiar._ He thought, as he remembered encountering Ganondorf. He cast a glance to Midna, and saw the same trail of thought cross her eyes.

Divus had his hood up, as he rested upon the throne. "So. You've finally come." His voice echoed throughout the chamber.

Zeke growled, stepping forward. "It all ends here!" He called out. His emerald eyes blazed with fury.

Link stood beside his friend, his cerulean eyes radiating a more passionate fury. "You're going to pay for what you've done, and what you think you're going to do." Link remarked. "You will not destroy the Realms for your own gain and grudges!"

Divus rose from his throne, his hood falling down to reveal a sneer. "As if you could ever understand! You, Zeke, of all people should see it my way! How _dare_ you stand up to ME! After what I've done for you!" He yelled out.

Zeke clenched his claymore. "This path is wrong, Divus! What has happened... Was over one hundred years ago! It's time you let go of the past!"

From beside the throne, a man wearing a brown cloak emerged. The hood was down, revealing shoulder length bronze hair, and bronze eyes. "Oh, but we are. And, we're going to create a new future. And sadly, you won't be apart of it!"

Zeke growled, "Gaia... You pitiful fool.."

Divus stepped down from the heightened area of the throne. "Fine. Challenge me, your God." Divus's haunting laugh filled the corridors of the Cathedral. "Your hope for true peace ends here. And your meaningless existence with it!"

Divus and Zeke began to walk toward each other. Divus held out his right hand, spirit energy forming to create a pure white Scimitar. Link took a step forward, wanting to assist his comrade when Gaia stood in front of the golden haired warrior. "Nah ah ah~" He teased. "Your fight is with me. Aeries was a close friend of mine, you see... And I will avenge his death."

"You will try." Link retorted, donning his Hylian Shield to his right arm. Midna floated beside Link, readying magics. Link looked at Midna from the corner of his eyesight, and Midna looked at him. "I told you I'm not going to be some helpless damsel, Link. We're in this together."

Link nodded, as Gaia held out his right arm. Rocks broke from the cathedral floor, rising up into a staff.

Letting out a cry, Link charged at Gaia. Slicing outward, Gaia blocked with his staff. Seizing the opportunity, Midna powered up and pointed her hand at Gaia, unleashing a fireball. Gaia slammed his foot into the ground, making a Stalagmite rise. The fire slammed into the stalagmite, causing an explosion of rock and flames, Gaia, stumbled from the shockwave, along with Link.

Link tried to seize this chance by stabbing outward with the Golden Sword. However, he wasn't quick enough. Gaia leapt back, back flipping gracefully and landing on a handstand, sending shock waves through the ground and caused a minor earthquake where Link stood. Link was unable to keep his ground and fell. Gaia placed his boots on the ground and began to charge at Link, holding the earth staff. But Midna was quick, teleporting in front of Link. Midna let loose a powerful attack of Shadow magic at Gaia, that hit dead on. Gaia flew back, slamming into the ground as Link stood up, charging at Gaia and leaping into the air, attempting an ending blow. Gaia rolled out of the way, as the Golden Sword sank into the marble. Link's azure eyes cast at Gaia, who twirled the staff and lashed out at Link.

Link rolled away from the Golden Sword, however Gaia was light on his feet. He charged at Link, attacking with the staff. Link got hit in the head with the end of the staff before he held out his shield, blocking most of Gaia's onslaught. Midna charged up a lightning attack, electricity arcing down her arms before she lashed out at Gaia, lightning firing outward. It hit Gaia dead on, the waves of electricity coursing through his body as the Templar locked up. Link seized this time, right hooking Gaia, then twirling his body to gather momentum for a crescent kick.

Link's boot slammed into Gaia's head, causing the templar to shoot off his feet and land on the ground. Link ran to the Golden Sword, removing it from the marble as he cast a glance to Zeke and Divus.

Both were using high amounts of magic. Zeke was using heavy shadow magic, courtesy of the Shadow Temple. Or, so he thought. The Spirit energies and Shadow energies clashed, canceling each other out. Zeke's claymore and Divus's scimitar met many times, sparks flying as they tried to overpower the other with powerful magics. Neither gaining ground.

Link turned back to Gaia who had regained his stance. Link held up his Hylian Shield and Golden Sword, ready. In the background, he saw Midna ready up some magics. Gaia's gaze shifted from Midna to Link, before he looked like he was going to run at Link, before he began to run at Midna.

_'Oh no!'_ Was Link's immediate thought. He ran as fast as he could, using his Triforce to enhance his speed. Midna unleashed a flurry of elemental attacks, along with her Shadow magic only for Gaia to use the Earth to block. Gaia lashed out at Midna with the staff, and Link intervened. He locked the Golden Sword with the staff, grinning. Secretly, Link used the Triforce to send a thin stalagmite from the ground, aimed at Gaia's chest. Gaia leapt away, Link using the moment their weapons freed themselves to slice Gaia along his cheek.

Blood trickled down the Templar's face. He scowled, standing up straighter. The Earth staff shifted into a longsword. Gaia held it up with one hand, the other readying magic.

Gaia slammed his hand into the ground, still charging at Link. From the ground, a ball of earth rose up, cracking the marble and breaking through as it charged at Link. Link feebly blocked with his shield. It would have utterly destroyed it and broke his arm if he hadn't magically enhanced the Hylian Shield. Once the rock made contact, a flurry of golden energy escaped, breaking the rock into shards as Gaia leapt, bringing down the Longsword. Link blocked with the Hylian Shield, Midna was about to fire a blast of magic when Gaia's boots met the ground. A large stalagmite shot up, ramming into Midna and sending her careening toward the ground.

Rage swept through Link. "MIDNA!" He cried, calling upon a massive amount of energy to overpower Gaia. Once Gaia had stumbled, Link slashed him horizontally, golden energy exploding. Gaia flew a couple feet, slamming into the ground and holding his bleeding chest. Link ran toward Midna.

She was still conscious, but she was in pain. Link dropped both the Golden Sword and Hylian Shield, wrapping his arms around her. He shook her gently, seeing her eyes shut tightly. She slowly opened them, but she was wheezing; clearly out of breath. Midna looked behind him, and her eyes widened to the size of ruby dinner plates. "Link-!" She was cut off by rock slamming into Link's back. He let out a yell, shielding Midna as he was pelted by blunt stalagmites and flying rocks. He let go of her, as she floated in the air. Quickly, he picked up the Golden Sword, and whirled around. He sliced the next rock careening toward him in half; diverting the course. He was panting hard, in pain.

Gaia was holding his chest with one hand, while the other was stretched outward at Link. He was panting heavily.

A large magical presence filled the room, as Link's, Midna's, and even Gaia's gaze looked to where Zeke and Divus were fighting. Divus had unleashed a powerful shock wave. Zeke's claymore flew from his hand and slammed into the ground. Zeke summoned what little shadow energy he had left, the black energy swarming around him. Divus pulled the Spirit Energy clustered in the Twilight Realm, as his Scimitar shined white. He stabbed at Zeke.

The blade pierced through the shadow barrier, and plunged into Zeke's chest.

Blood stained the marble floor, as Zeke's eyes were widened. Divus's face twisted into a grin from ear to ear. Divus removed the scimitar from Zeke's torso. The broken shadow magic around Zeke's form distorted, before ultimately dispersing. A gloved hand touched Zeke's chest, as his emerald eyes cast downward. There, he saw his hand coated in blood as his vision faded in and out. Blood then ran down the blonde warrior's chin. Zeke took two steps back, beginning to lose his balance; his vision dimming. _Am... I dying?_ Was one of the only thoughts that crossed his mind before he fell to his knees. He felt a calm sweep through his body, as something felt off to him. He looked at his bloodied hand and saw it turn black, before turning into particles and seeping into oblivion.

He was dying a Templar's death. No body to be left behind as the element would consume the body before dispersing. Zeke's blonde locks covered his eyes as he fell forward, slamming onto the marble floor as blood leaked from his body, pooling. More of his body turned ash black, before fading into nothingness as soon, the Templar of Darkness was no more.

Link blinked, horror rising into his chest. His best friend had just died before his eyes. Reality was slipping, and terror filled his veins. But, after a long moment that terror was replaced by sheer rage. The Hero of Twilight's eyes were clouded. He bared his teeth, a low growl emitting. He clenched the Golden Sword, as it began to glow. He poured the Triforce's power into it.

Midna watched Link with widened eyes, seeing his expression change and watching his emotions wash over his eyes. She looked back to where Zeke's body once was. This was bad. If they didn't stop Divus here and now, both realms would be cast into Chaos. And more pain, like the one her wolf is experiencing, would consume.

Link sprinted toward Gaia. He needed to die before he could take on Divus. That much was clear – this just became on another level of personal. His friend, and temporary mentor had just died. Clearly, Divus wouldn't stop there. Midna... She would be next. His one and only love.

_'I won't allow that!_' His mind screeched, as he swiped at Gaia. The Templar of Earth was taken by surprise and blocked with his elemental longsword. Link removed his blade from the steel Gaia held, and brought up his leg and kicked Gaia on his chest wound. Gaia spat out blood from the kick, as Link brought the Golden Sword around, sinking it into Gaia's neck.

The Templar gurgled and sputtered, blood falling down and staining his cloak, and the floor. Blood leaked from his mouth and joined what blood was already pouring. Link tore it out, watching Gaia turn to stone, starting from his neck then spreading.

Soon, Gaia was completely stone with the expression of pain and horror on his features. Midna was scared of Link for the first time. Staring deep into Gaia's stone expression as the stone began to turn into dust left an impression on her, as she looked to Link. Soon, Gaia had crumbled into mere dust, falling onto the floor.

His wolfish instincts were taking over – screaming; '_Ravage Everything'_. But the last sane part of his mind kept him at bay. He knew he had to keep his wits utterly about him. He looked at Midna, seeing a ghost of her last expression before her mouth formed into a thin line. She nodded to Link, knowing Gaia had probably murdered so much more people in more cruel ways. To her, it was Retribution.

He looked at Divus, who was beginning to regain his composure and strength after battling Zeke. He had to analyze Divus now, and figure out his seeming endless amount of Energy. He watched how his breathing returned to normal, and his Triforce twitched. He was sensing energy. '_Wait... That's it! He's using the spirit energies in the air around him to replenish his energy.' _Link observed, figuring out one of Divus's many secrets.

He knew he was too exhausted to take on Divus, who was rejuvenated. He looked at Midna. It was now or never. He had decided to tell her the half-truth of his feelings for her. He took a breath.

"Midna, I need you." Link told her. "I can't do this without you." He then looked her in her crimson eyes.

Midna looked into his cerulean depths, finding hints of violet. "Need my help, huh, Mr. Important Hero?" She said with a toothy smirk, despite her exhaustion. "Let's do this together." She nodded to him, looking at Divus. Link smiled; looked downward, then back up to the Templar of Spirit.

Link twirled his Golden Sword, holding it with both hands. Midna readied Magic by his side.

"How touching." Divus sneered, holding his Scimitar. "But this is where it ends, Twilight Princess, and Hero of Light and Twilight!" Divus yelled.

Link let out a yell, taking the lead in the onslaught as he charged at Divus. He raised the Golden Sword above his head, sending energy into it as it began to glow. Divus raised his Scimitar in a horizontal position, as Link brought down the golden blade. The two blades met, golden energy spurting from the Golden Sword, as from Divus's scimitar white energy was emitting, fighting against the golden power.

While Divus was preoccupied, Midna swarmed over to Divus's blind side, and readied shadow magic. She sent out an intermediate spell, a purple ball of shadow energy releasing from her palm as her cyan runes shined along her imp body.

Divus leapt back, a seemingly foolish move but then he leapt in the air, dodging the ball of shadow magic. Link let out a surprised grunt and swatted the ball away with the blunt side of the Golden Sword. "Whew." He released a breath.

Divus twirled in midair, firing a blast of spirit energy at Midna then twirling again to face Link as he descended. Midna dodged the energy, a small white explosion emitting. Midna shut one eye and covered her face from the debris of the explosion.

Divus used the momentum to strike down at Link, who tried to block with the Golden Sword. However, the Scimitar smashed through Link's defense, making Link stumble forward as the hilt of the scimitar met Link's chest. Link stomach back as Divus stabbed outward. Link barely dodged, the white blade grazing his arm as Link regained his footing and slashed out, cutting Divus shoulder as he leapt back, clenching it.

Midna gave him no edge, firing another blast of Shadow magic as it slammed into him, Divus stumbling forward as he yelled out in pain.

Link charged at Divus, lashing out at him which the Templar dodged. Divus sliced out in retaliation, but Link blocked. They battled against each other's strength, until Divus gathered in nearby spirit energy and let out a shock wave.

Link predicted this sometime in their fight, and devised a counter strategy. He used his Triforce to pull in the surrounding spirit energies to form a counter shock wave to cancel out Divus's. However, Divus was much more skilled as the shock wave was reduced in power, but Link still flew backwards with a yell. He slammed into the wall, cracking it as he slid down on his feet, then falling to his knees. He used his sword for support, and tried to regain his breath.

Divus's original intention was to finish off Link there, but a certain imp prevented him. Midna flew between Link and Divus, snarling. She pointed both arms out at Divus; _"Um__bra Internecionem!" _Midna incanted in a loud voice. This, was an advanced spell. It was her original technique that she created in the four year span, only perfecting it recently.

Immense shadow magic formed in front of her hands, concentrating into a pure black ball. Red Twilit markings then swarmed all around it, coating it in red runes. She released it, as it moved quicker than Link could follow, and hit Divus dead center.

Divus let out a growing yell, as the ball expanded and consumed Divus. Then, it exploded in a massive amount of shadow energy, the pressure of it crushing down on Link and Midna. The Cathedral exploded in pure shadow magic, with Divus its center point.

The Cathedral was completely ruined, taking on a form similar to the Temple of Time, as dust from the stone fell. Link was utterly amazed that his Imp was this strong.

Midna was panting hard, seemingly not having the magic to even levitate. She fell down on her legs and then into a kneeling position. Link rose up from the decimated wall, and limped toward Midna. He crouched beside her, believing it was over and wrapped an arm around her to keep her supported. Midna looked up to Link with her ruby and amber eyes, before leaning slightly into the one-armed embrace. But then, he realized Divus's presence was still around. Link looked forward, and found Divus hunched, still standing. His cloak was gone, in tatters around him as was his shirt. All he was wearing was his black pants and black boots. His alabaster hair fell around his head, as his muscled body was bruised, and bleeding. Divus looked up, his eyes shining.

"Do not believe this is over!" He yelled out, sputtering blood afterward. He then stood up straight, stumbling slightly.

Divus clenched his hands rather weakly. "I... I will destroy... DESTROY EVERYTHING!"

He gathered in massive amounts of spirit energy, his body glowing white as he poured his being into this attack. He let out a yell, as the ground began to shake slightly as he was beginning to gather up too much before he began to focus it on one point, concentrating it with his years of experience.

Link knew they would not survive this. But then, an idea forged into his head. He looked down at an eye widened imp. "Midna, it's alright. I have an idea." He began.

Midna shook her head, regaining her composure as she looked up, "what is it?"

Link then wrapped his arms around her, following through his idea. The Twilight Realm was just full of shadow. But, there was something else. Something Link felt from the beginning.

There were two primary energies in this realm. And they were constantly intertwining. This realm was the Fusion of Light and Darkness. A realm in between the Light world, and Dark world.

Link pulled the Light Energy into his being, and focused the Shadow energy into Midna. She was amazed, feeling herself become empowered as she began to levitate once more after feeling surprised and slightly embarrassed from Link holding her. Link stood up, feeling the energy course through him.

He didn't have time to explain what he had figured out, and looked at Midna's floating form, seeing her tremble slightly at the massive energy Divus was forming.

Link grabbed her shoulders, making her face him. "You're going to have to trust me, Midna. Can you use that one skill you did earlier?"

"Y-Yeah, but even with it's massive power, it can't-" Link cut her off.

"Exactly. So, let's combine Light and Shadow."

Midna looked dismayed. "Are you insane, wolf breath! The energies are polar opposites, they can't-"

"Trust me, Midna! It will work." He said, his voice zealous.

After a moment, and realizing they were out of options, she complied.

She began to form her spell again, closing her eyes. _"Umbra Internecionem.." _She incanted, the massive ball of shadow energy forming.

Link concentrated on his Triforce, gathering the Light energy he had absorbed. He held out his left hand, watching a small ball of gold form. It began growing in size, and radiating a powerful light.

Divus was finished, his body having a strong sheen as he held out both arms infront of him. "THIS IS IT! DIE!"

Unexpected to Divus, Midna had completed forming her spell as Link was finished forming the Light counterpart to Umbra Internecionem. Link looked to Midna, and Midna looked to Link. They both nodded, and unleashed the powerful spells.

Divus unleashed the power he had been forming, a strong wave headed for the energies of the Light and Shadow spells. The two balls met.

They joined each other in energy, a powerful wave unleashing that made Link tremble slightly. It was dark amber in color, as the two waves collided. The Powerful fusion of Light and Shadow was too much for the Spirit wave, as it was utterly consumed. Divus's eyes widened in shock. "No!" He screamed, the wave consuming him as well, creating a powerful explosion of raw power never seen until now.

It was finally over. Link beamed, then fell on his knees and closed his eyes softly. He remained like that for a moment, before turning his head skyward and looking into the Twilit sky. It was indeed beautiful, as he broke out into a smile. _'It's over, Zeke. It's finally over.'_ He thought, standing up.

Midna had a toothy grin about her, looking at Link and about to say something when she felt white energy surround her. It swarmed around her form, as she reverted to her True Form.

Link turned his gaze at her, sensing magical prowess when he saw Midna back to her beautiful self. She, like last time, was in the skimpy cloak that revealed her slender legs and her stomach. She pulled down the headdress, undoing the ponytail as she let her hair fall down around her shoulders, stretching.

Link, once again, was dumbstruck. Her hair seemed to shine in the Twilight, her body radiating beauty to him. He felt himself flush once more as he just stared at her.

Midna felt eyes on her, like back then. She turned around and saw Link, once again, speechless. Deciding to be nostalgic, she thought for a moment before breaking out into a mischevious grin. She walked toward Link slowly, making sure to move the right places as she wrapped her arms around his neck, shifting weight to one leg. "What? Say something!" She giggled, leaning in closer to his ear. "Am I so beautiful you've no words left?"

Link could have died then and been happy. He felt himself turn beet red, as he bit his lower lip and shied away from her seductive embrace. She placed a hand over her mouth and suppressed laughter after teasing her hero.

Link wanted to say something, but decided he had something to do before he did it. He turned away from her, scratching his head and trying to get images from his mind as he scanned the destruction of the Cathedral.

Midna watched him curiously, as Link walked around and picked up Zeke's claymore, looking down at it sadly. She frowned.

Link sighed, walking toward the front of the mountain – Toward the Sunset. He crossed Midna's line of sight, and she couldn't resist but look at him.

Link knelt in front of the Twilit sun, raising the claymore and stabbing it into the earth halfway. The blade was given a light sheen, as Link stared at the sword a long time, before standing. _'I guess this is where we part ways, huh?'_ He closed his eyes, before turning and facing Midna, who just finished bowing her head from respect of the recently fallen warrior.


	10. Chapter 10

**Tribulations of Twilight**

Chapter 10

Two figures stood opposite the other in the Throne Room of the Palace of Twilight. One clad in the Councilor uniform, one with yellow designs and runes, and the other in the High Councilor garb with white designs and runes and white shoulder plates. The one in the Yellow designed garb's roan eyes shined with malice. The opposite's eyes hard a dark look about them, questioning, and yet completely knowing of his opposite's intent.

The Councilor brushed some of his wiry bronze hair from his eyes back, taking in a deep breath and trying to hold a civil look about him, and smiled. Though this smile twitched, as if in his mind the darkness took over and completely destroyed this being's mind, leaving nothing but the demented and haunting shell.

The golden eyes of the one in the High Councilor's garb wandered around the encasing room they were in. It was tainted and littered in red markings and circles, however in the middle there was a rather large circle with intricate designs about it – written in the ancient language of the Twili.

"Like what you see?" The one in the councilor's garb spoke. The bronze and crazed eyes wandered about the room, a deep sense of vanity in presence.

"How could you, Councilor Lienosus? This is Taboo!" The one in the High Councilor's garb took a step forward, "how far have you fallen? Why have you let the darkness consume you and form like moist velvet around your mind?" He was entirely solemn.

Lienosus sneered, raising up his head as if he were now above the the one opposite of him. "I didn't let the darkness consume me, Cerebrum... I embraced it!" Cackles of laughter filled the throne room, as the once proud councilor held out his hands and looked at them. They twitched more than once. "With these hands... With these hands... I can... I can annihilate those whom opposed us! Banished us.. And.. I can do it with the Darkness!"

The one in the Councilor garb fell to his knees, running his hands along the dried markings. He laughed, dementedly. He then stopped all of the sudden, making Cerebrum retract slightly from the abruptness of Lienosus.

Lienosus stood. His eyes were different, holding a sense of self-glorification and extreme vanity. Some of the wiry hair fell in front of his eyes, which he quickly slicked back with the sweat that was already present and grinned with spite. "I envisioned it. After years and years of study, and with the benefits of being a Councilor, I have found a way. Found a way to the Word of Light."

Cerebrum scowled, his mouth a thin line; animosity running through his veins. "Explain your actions, Councilor Lienosus." The scent now had clarified itself. The miasma of the room. The malaise it brought to Cerebrum. It was the dried stench of Twilit blood.

Lienosus scoffed, folding his arms. "To completely enslave the Light Dwellers. Make them our dogs while the Twili rule supreme! It's retribution for what they had done to us.. To me. Make me live short, when I deserve _so_ much more!" The councilor sneered.

Cerebrum felt no pity for Lienosus. After all, there was nothing left of this shell to pity. "How dare you bring shame to your own tribe, Councilor Lienosus! These ideals are meaningless! They hold no ground to the rest of the Twili. Your ancestor Lagneris helped to make us become exiles, and now with your vile intents the Goddesses won't be so lenient as to exile us. We can only be exiled so many times, Lienosus! The next exile won't be from a realm, it will be the exile of our right to live!"

Lienosus growled, baring his teeth. "How dare you disgrace my ancestor so, High Councilor Cerebrum! You cretins wouldn't know what we could achieve if we captured that vile Light Dweller, and harnessed his mark!"

Cerebrum clenched his hands. "What have you become..." He muttered, raising up his clenched fists and unclenched them as his golden eyes shimmered with ambition and advocacy. "As High Councilor, I will uphold my honor and my duty to my people. I cannot allow the souls you have sacrificed to taint this room with their blood to go unavenged. I will not stand for the bloodshed and meaningless death that will follow your ideals!"

High Councilor Cerebrum of golden eyes closed his sight and took in a breath. Great disgrace had befallen Cerebrum the day Zant brought upon a Coup d'état. Not from the Twili, but from his own self. He had been powerless to stop Zant from exiling their own Twilight Princess, whom Cerebrum had looked after since the death of mighty King Noctis and fair Queen Mitjanit many years ago. Midna was like... No, she was the granddaughter he never had.

And that same granddaughter saved their realm, and with the help of a Light-dweller. No, he wasn't a mere Light-dweller, he was Link, Hero of Light and Twilight.

He reopened his eyes. "Like the Hero and Princess before me, with the power I hold; I will put my life on the line to save this realm and its people from your disgrace! I will not allow you to bring us back down to what we ascended from!"

* * *

Link and Midna finally reached the base of the mountain. Saion's magic had faded, so the stairs they used to ascend were no longer in existence. Using a little of the magic they had left, they descended to the bottom.

Both were completely exhausted, and sat across each other. It was night in the Realm of Twilight, the exotic moon shining down onto the land through the bronze night skies. Link felt the soft chill of the darkness in the Twilight Realm around his body. He yawned, his eyes watering slightly before he wiped them and looked at the slight fire they had before them. He glanced up at the equally tired Midna, and smiled slightly. "Looks like another adventure is over, huh?"

Midna looked from the fire and into the sapphire eyes of Link. "Don't get all nostalgic with me just yet, wolf boy. I'm absolutely exhausted and we're not even close to Medietas yet!" She threw her arms up in frustrated and fell back onto the exotic grass, a grunt of dissatisfaction escaping her lips.

Link rolled his eyes and rested his elbow on his knee, and his head on his hand. "Like you physically exhausted yourself on the journey here, anyway. All you did was laze in my shadow."

Link could feel the impish smile that spread on Midna's lips, cold chills being sent down Link's spine. "Why walk when I have a servant to do my bidding?"

_A challenge, eh?_ Link reflected, "the same servant that saved your realm twice? You owe me big time, and I might collect on that debt soon enough." Link had a wolfish grin.

Midna rose up slightly and leaned on her elbows, raising a thin ashen eyebrow. She thought of a comeback to that statement, pursing her lips into another famous impish smirk. "Oh? And what would you want? Money? Wealth? Power?" She rose up a hand and conjured up a small ball of energy to empower her statement before dispersing it. "Or..." She rose up a leg, the cloak parting to reveal her slender cobalt appendage. Inwardly, she was grinning snidely, openly teasing Link. Outwardly, she had a straight face as if the situation was entirely business.

Link felt his cheeks turn rosy, as he felt his mouth run dry and his palms start to sweat before he shifted. Despite her sexual appeal that the more wolf side of him would've loved to take her up on the offer, he wasn't going to back down from the challenge. No matter how much the lump in his throat grew.

He swallowed it, and put on a straight face with a slight smirk. He relaxed himself, "Unfortunately for you, my dear Midna, that's not how I want the debt to be repaid." He thought he played off her tease quite well. Maybe.

Somewhere in Midna's mind she was disappointed, and her curiosity was at its apex. _What exactly _did_ Link want?_ She lowered her leg, and shifted. "What is it you're after, then?"

_You._ Link thought without missing a beat. His sharp eyes lowered, knowing he couldn't say that quite yet. He thought of what he wanted next. He looked back up at her. "A title. I want to explore this realm." _Might as well come flat out. _"...I can't get back to the Light world. It was a one-way trip. So, I want to venture around this land."

Midna felt her heart rapidly speed up. "W-Wait, you can't get back?" She asked, flustered. "Why did you cast aside your realm for mine?"

_Time to lie again._ The hero thought. "_I_ didn't cast my realm away. The Goddesses cast _me_ away. Sort of like a guardian role here." He raised up a hand and rolled his wrist as if it were business.

Midna didn't understand why Link sounded so casual about this. She sat up, hugging her knees as she curled up into a ball, rocking slightly as she thought. A secret objective of hers was filled for her; making Link stay in the realm. Now to add-on to that. Making him stay within sight.

Link lay back, feeling diminished inside as he stared up at the Twilit sky. "Let's get some sleep, Midna." He said, closing his eyes. His mind was full, and his stomach was empty. Sleep wasn't going to come anytime soon.

Midna sighed, and lay back curling up into another ball. She missed it when she was smaller. _Oh goddesses, am I seriously lamenting how I'm bigger and can't nestle up to.._ She shook her head, clamping her eyes shut.

* * *

His vision a haze, as he watched his orange-red blood spill onto the ground passed his clenched hand that were pressed to his chest. He was acutely outclassed. His vision focused, the searing pain of his marred chest forcing his mind to work. His magic was diminished, and his arms felt weak. But his will left him crouched, his weak fury keeping him strong. In his peripheral vision, he saw his unkempt alabaster hair hang. His right shoulder plate was cracked, the left one in half. He felt his high councilor garb become wet with his blood.

"Cerebrum, I praise you only for your determination. All of the other Twili died with that attack." Lienosus's voice rang out, as steps were heard. Cerebrum's sharp golden eyes looked up to the approaching twili.

_Is it... ending here? Am I going to die? Have... I failed?_ High Councilor Cerebrum closed his eyes. He disparaged his title of High Councilor. He was no longer fit. He wasn't strong enough.

"That's it, you old fool.. Accept your demise." Lienosus raised up his hand, matter seeming to haze around his hand as black energy began to form.

Cerebrum felt the energies' taint of pure evil, the cold that made him shiver. Without even feel it being released, he felt immense burning pain course through his body, and he knew he'd been hit. He began to convulse from the pain, as his arm applying pressure to his chest wound fell to his side, as his knees weakened. He slammed on the marble floor of the throne room, his alabaster hair shielding his face.

_Contemptible.. I'm loosing all feeling... My eyes... They no longer see.. My throat.. I can't breathe... My ears... They clanger..._

His thoughts ran, as Lienosus neared and held a hand over the aged Twili. _His heart is losing its beat. _He analyzed, turning around. He would add Cerebrum to his ideals. He was a strong Twili.. just not strong enough.

_I feel... light-headed.. Am I fainting? ...Am I going to succumb?_

He thought of his life. Raising Midna... Pointless and important council debates... Executing criminals.. But he kept most to his heart, his first day as High Councilor under King Noctis and Queen Mitjanit. He was fresh out of his classes, and magic training. He had fair judgment and he excelled in his classes and in the magics of the tribe. When he first talked to King Noctis... if Cerebrum could have smiled, he would have. He was stammering all over the place, his palms were sweaty under his gloves, and he couldn't stand up straight for the life of him.

Then... the day came when King Noctis and Queen Mitjanit died. Noctis succumbed to death by an illness, and Mitjanit followed. Rumor has it she died of complete heartbreak and the will to carry on was gone. Only, it wasn't a rumor. Cerebrum knew she died of misery.

He remembered little Midna tugging his garb and asking why they were dead. His heart was sinking when he unveiled the truth. She was old enough then. But not old enough to carry on her own. He took the little girl under his wing. And she grew up to have quite a nerve. Though... Cerebrum never minded. It just showed her strength and conviction.

_Her independence.. Her fortitude... Her backbone.. Who did she get it from? ...Me? Did I ever have that much willpower...? Did I have... that much strength?_

He forced himself to breath, ignoring the reluctance of his lungs and he compelled his eyes to see. _If I gave her that much coercion.. I must have no qualms!_

He clenched his fist, ignoring the pain of his muscles. _Die as I may... I will not go mutely! She.. she would keep on talking, throwing cynical insults to her enemy while putting up a fight... That's what you would do, right.. Midna?_

He rose up his head high as he forced himself to stand, sanctioning his title as High Councilor. "Lienosus!" Cerebrum called, bracing his fists that lay to his sides. He felt no pain from his wounds, as his nerves were destroyed in the attack.

Lienosus abridged his step, abashed. He slowly turned around, his roan eyes encasing a morbid curiosity.

High Councilor Cerebrum stood tall, slowly raising his hands. "I will not be quelled just yet!" He pressed them together and drew the remaining power he had left, throwing all of his life and being into the attack.

Cerebrum smiled impishly. Though, it wasn't like Midna's impish smile, it was something all on its own.

The energy compressed into a black ball, gold in center as Cerebrem barraged it at Lienosus.

Lienosus held out his arms, drawing out what dark energy he could before the ball hit, an explosion following suit.

The shock wave impelled Cerebrum to fall back, landing on the marble once more. However, he felt more accomplished. A ghost of his last smile was still upon his features, as he law sprawled out on the ground.

The explosion subsided, as Lienosus still stood encased in a black ball that soon dispersed, revealing the top half of his cloak to be no more, it being blown off. Lienosus protected himself just in time; if he hadn't drawn up the energy when he did he wouldn't be of the living.

A pulsing black crystal lay center in his chest, pulsing veins popping out of the skin closer to the crystal. Unbeknownst to Lienosus, it began to crack slightly; but it still held its form.

Lienosus sneered at Cerebrum's body. It held no more power, and was completely diminished of anything. No use to absorb it and add it to his power, it'd only take up space. "What a qualm you were, you old man." Lienosus spat toward Cerebrum. Despite that sign of disrespect, Cerebrum was a Twili worthy of respect and merit. "If only you were on my side, you poor old fool.." Lienosus folded his arms, and shifted his weight to one leg.

"Now.. To begin preparations."

* * *

_A/N: As a fun fact, Noctis in Latin means Midnight, and in Catalan; a language of romance, Mitjanit means Midnight as well._


	11. Chapter 11

**Tribulations of Twilight**

Chapter 11

Sleep wouldn't just come to Link, even though he was the one to suggest that they sleep. He was tossing and turning, then just sighed. He sat up, the fire being long distinguished and his equipment resting on the exotic grass nearby. Being as quite as possible, he stood up. He looked over to Midna's sleeping form and drew in a deep breath.

He walked a couple yards away from camp and looked skyward. The stars were as endless as they were in Hyrule. The sky still held the darkness Hyrule had. And the moon cut through that darkness with light, just like Hyrule. He wondered. For all he could do at the current moment was nothing but.

He felt a slight breeze run past his almost roan hair, as he closed his sapphire eyes. His breathings were soft, as the air felt no different from Hyrule. His hair would dance in the night breeze all the same.

Despite all these similarities... The Twilight Realm was more auspicious because she was here. Sleeping as she may, she was here. And wherever she was, he would be as well. After he would have traveled everywhere in the Twilight Realm, he knew he would be trotting back to one place like a lost puppy to lend her his sword and shield.

Maybe it was the anxiety of that their adventure had come to a close, and he no longer belonged. He folded his arms and closed his sharp cerulean eyes, gently tapping his foot.

Taking a deep breath after a while, and releasing it from his lungs he let his arms drift back to his sides. Sleep was sounding more and more tempting with each passing second. Deciding to let his unsettled thoughts this round, he trudged back to where he once lay and resumed his position, yawning.

Sleep still didn't come to him as easily as he'd hoped.

* * *

In his dream, he saw a man wandering shrouded in a tan cloak. How he knew the figure was male, he wasn't too sure. Link noticed that he was indeed floating, so he drew closer to the walking man.

The hood of the cloak was drawn, so Link had to duck slightly to look up into the man's face.

Link retracted slightly from surprise, as a breeze came forth into his dream and threw down the man's hood.

The man in the tan cloak was surely Link. But, the Link in the tan cloak was aged. His hair was longer, his eyes more dull with age and experience. His chin had blonde beard stubbles. His skin was more pale.

Link noted that on his doppelganger's face, the scar was more faded. Link rose up a hand and traced the scar that extended from the top of his right eyebrow, across his nose, and halfway into his left cheek. It tickled slightly, the skin still sensitive even after four years. However, something else caught his eye he should have noticed before.

The more aged Link had no right arm.

The elder doppelganger stopped short of a step, somehow being reminded of his loss. He rose up a hand, and gripped the shoulder where the arm used to be attached. Pain crossed his face, though it wasn't a physical pain. Whatever caused him to lose his arm was a greater scar than the one upon his face.

"I lost her..." A mumble came from the elder Link's mouth.

The younger bit his lip, leaning in slightly to hear better.

"Ten years.. and it still hurts."

The younger Link found himself no longer floating in front of the elder Link, but now.. He was the aged Link.

"Midna's dead.. She's been dead for ten years.." Link felt himself say in remorse, clenching the shoulder harder. He felt his heart clench and shatter, his stomach burst. Link felt himself scream in despair, but on the outward appearance he was still, his hand upon his shoulder.

"Ten years, Midna's been dead and it still hurts. I should have saved her instead of myself."

* * *

Link snapped out of his reverie once Midna snapped in front of his face. "Goddesses, Link! You've been more silent than you were at the beginning of our first quest!"

Link rose up a hand and scratched his head, smiling halfheartedly. "Sorry, I was just.. um, thinking." He replied lamely.

Midna shook her head, then turned around to face the drawbridge connecting to Medietas. She walked ahead, stopping, then turned around. "Well, aren't you coming ya dumb wolf?" She snickered, turning back around and heading toward Medietas once more.

Link sighed. That was the umpteenth time he recalled the peculiar dream and got lost in his thoughts during the two days of travel. "I need to get myself together." He muttered, jogging up next to Midna and slowing down to a walk.

Once they passed through the double doors, Link and Midna stopped dead. Littered across the streets – Bodies of twili lay. Midna gasped in horror, Link rushing up to a small child in the road. He knelt, taking the child in his arms.

"What the hell happened.." He bit his lip, placing a hand on the child's neck. There was a pulse. Link let out a breath he had been holding, and looked around. He looked back to the boy, and realized there were no wounds whatsoever. He opened the boy's eye, looking into the scarlet orbs to find it devoid of life.

"It looks like someone drained the life from these people... but left the shells to breathe." Link said, placing the child down and repeating the test to a male nearby he presumed the father.

Midna looked over an elderly twili. "They're still alive... but.. What happened?"

Link set the male's head down and rose, looking over at the Palace of Twilight. "Midna, I think we'll find our answers there. It looks like we're not done yet."

Midna looked at the Palace, and felt anger run through her being, clenching her fists and baring her fangs. After a moment, she took a breath and unclenched her fist, beginning a brisk walk to the entrance. "Come on, Wolf boy!" She barked behind her shoulder.

Link nodded, walking up behind her to the palace entrance. Once they reached the door, Midna placed a hand upon it as the large door creaked open. Link placed a hand on the hilt of his Golden Sword.

Link rushed in ahead of Midna, a sense of duty coursing through his mind. He was the Hero, and a hero doesn't let this happen. Link felt anger as he unleashed the Golden Sword in a swift draw, clenching the hilt in a tight grasp in his left hand as he looked around the foyer. Midna ran in behind the hero.

It was littered like the outside of Twili. Butlers and maids lined the floor, some councilors as well.

Link loosened his grip upon his blade, lowering it as he strolled through the foyer with Midna in tow. Once they were in the middle of the foyer, coughing was heard. Link's cerulean gaze landed upon a twili in a councilor's garb.

Link studied the cyan markings, as he dropped the Golden Sword for a moment and helped the orange-haired councilor into a sitting position.

Midna crouched by the councilor, recognizing him instantly. "Anxia! What happened?"

Anxia opened his crimson eyes, shaking his tuft of spiky orange hair as he tried to regain his vision and speak.

"C-Councilor.. Lienosus betrayed us.." Anxia spoke, shifting slightly as his hand gripped his chest. He was obviously in pain.

Link shook his head, "easy now! Just try and breathe."

Anxia nodded, doing as Link said before starting up again. "He.. sucked the souls out of the people.. and killed those who opposed him.. starting with High Councilor Cerebrum.."

Midna couldn't stifle a gasp, as her hands flew to her mouth. Her crimson optics were wide, as Link looked to his love and caught her expression. Tears were starting to well up in her eyes.

He closed his, and sighed, bowing his head slightly. Cerebrum obviously meant a lot to Midna, so he remained silent. He too had a respect for the Twili. He seemed just, as Link recalled being presented before the Council for the first time.

"Once we started to figure... out what Lienosus had done, most of the councilors sided with him; scared for their lives... But, we tried to oppose him. Lunaris, General Robur.. even Ordinatur tried to stand up to Lienosus.. as well as I. We tried to follow Cerebrum's example... But he proved too strong. Somehow.. Lienosus obtained great magic.."

Link kept silent, letting go of Anxia now that the twili could support himself. Link looked over to Midna, and saw her trying not to let the tears lose, but a couple did. She wiped them away, and stood.

Link followed, as Anxia tried to stand up and succeeded.

"Where are they?" Midna asked, blinking away another tear.

Anxia held his chest for a moment, before letting his hand fall back to his side. "They went to the throne room to chase Lienosus.. but that was about an hour ago."

Link picked up the Golden Sword, and held it tightly. He looked over to Midna, who had a look of sheer determination on her face. He admired her, to be truthful.

The three began to make their way to the Throne Room.

* * *

Standing with his back to the door, Lienosus stood; clad in a Councilor's garb once more. He slowly turned his head, his hair back down as his eyes looked at the newcomers through strands of his bangs. "Oh my. Look who just joined the party." Lienosus chuckled, turning around to fully face them and stepping aside. Face down on the ground revealed a laying Lunaris. The twili's councilor's garb was stained with his own blood.

The trio's eyes wandered about the room, finding the markings and symbols. They also found the other two twili. Ordinatur was hunched up against the wall, sitting in a pool of his own blood while Robur was sprawled out on the ground, his twilit armor battered and cracked. A sword lay next to him, though it was in half.

Link growled, taking his shield from his back with his right arm, and holding it tightly along with his Golden Sword.

Midna took a step forward, clenching her fists and baring her fangs once more. "How dare you, Lienosus!" She yelled at the top of her lungs.

Anxia hurriedly ran as fast as he could. Lienosus closed his eyes, a grin upon his face as he felt Anxia run past him to Lunaris.

The younger twili rolled Lunaris to his back, propping up the man in his arms. Anxia shook Lunaris. "Lunaris! Lunaris! Wake up!" Anxia called, fear in his voice. His crimson optics were wide, staring down at the closed eyes of Lunaris as he kept shaking the Twili. "You-you can't be dead.." Anxia said softly to his childhood friend.

Lienosus opened his eyes, turning his head to look at Anxia and Lunaris. "You should feel proud, Anxia.. He lasted a whole hour against me. Though of course Robur helped. Ordinatur never stood a chance. He should have just sided with me like the rest." A laugh escaped Lienosus's lips, filled with malevolence.

Anxia shook with rage foreign to him. Never in this timid councilor's life had he ever hated anyone. Though his shadow magic weak, he wasn't about to let Lienosus laugh right in his and Lunaris's face. Anxia set down Lunaris, still believing the councilor was alive and stood, facing Lienosus. Raising his hand and pointing it at Lienosus.

Shadow energy gathered, and forged a shadow ball. Anxia barraged it at Lienosus, letting out a slight grunt as he did. "Don't you dare try and belittle him!"

Laughter escaped Lienosus, as he disappeared before the ball made contact with him. He reappeared in front of Anxia. The twili froze in place.

Lienosus towered over the junior councilor, bending over so that his mouth was near Anxia's ear. "Such petty magic won't do any good against the powers of pure Darkness." Lienosus whispered, standing straight as he placed a hand on Anxia's chest. A shock wave exploded, making Link stumble slightly and Midna hold her up her arms to protect herself from it.

Anxia was sent flying, yelling as he crashed into a wall, causing a slight crator as he fell onto the floor, coughing and sputtering.

Pain swept throughout the councilor, as his fist was clenched but soon unclenched as he remained still.

Link growled, his Triforce beginning to glow as the Golden Sword began to radiate the same glow. Link charged at full speed, his legs tapping against the marble floor softly as he let out a war cry, leaping into the air and performing an Ending Blow, the sword cutting through the air swiftly.

Lienosus sidestepped, watching the Golden Sword sink into the ground halfway. He rose up a hand at Link, preparing an attack when Midna held out her hand, lightning arcing down her arm to her palm, releasing the electrical attack.

The lightning struck Lienosus square in the ribs. Lienosus dropped his hand and clenched his wound, grunting loudly but soon laughing, his eyes wild.

Link pried his sword from the ground, and hid behind his shield facing Lienosus, ready to attack. Midna ran up to Link's side, ready to assist.

Lienosus took a step back, standing tall once more but still holding his ribs. Rumbles of laughter escaped his lips, as his grin was crooked. "You two might be my best challenge yet! Cerebrum was definitely the most fun, though."

Midna growled, charging up another attack as she gathered shadow energy. "You have no right to say his name, traitor!"

Lienosus laughed dementedly once more. "Ooh, a challenge you will be, but I am far more stronger than either of you!" He yelled, gripping the torso half of his garb and tearing it off. He revealed the black crystal planted in the middle of his chest, his veins leading from the crystal outward to his body as they pulsed.

"With this, I can harness the true powers of Darkness!" He shouted, flexing his chest as he held out his arms to his sides. Matter seemed to deteriorate around his body, a black aura emitting.

Link took an instinctive step back, his wolf instincts making his hair on the back of his neck stand on end. "This isn't good, Midna.." He whispered.

"And that's not all! I'm going to completely enslave the Light Dwellers using that half-wit's Triforce! Every race will bow before me, and I will reign as King of Light and Shadow!" Laughter followed suit.

"Over my dead body." Link muttered, feeling rage flow through his veins. How he desperately wanted to dice him up here and now.

Lienosus yelled out, thrusting his arms out to the side as an explosion of Dark energy fired out. Lunaris was tossed away in the explosion, hitting against the wall and crumbling back down. Link and Midna were sent off their feet, Link standing in front of Midna and thrusting up his shield as he reduced the effects. They both landed hard on the ground, and scrambled to their feet.

Midna hurriedly gathered up shadow energy and released it toward Lienosus. Said councilor held out his hand and formed black energy. Once the shadow energy hit the dark, the Shadow dispersed as did the dark energy. "Pathetic." Lienosus chuckled.

While Lienosus was distracted, Link ran up from the councilor's right, holding the Golden Sword with two hands. Link yelled out, slicing horizontally at Lienosus. The Councilor whirled around to face Link, crossing his arms in an X shape infront of him as a circle of dark energy formed, and blocked Link's blade.

Link grunted, feeling sever strain run up his arms as he tried to cut through the shield of dark energy. Calling power from his Triforce, the Golden Sword began to glow a bright gold, beginning to edge into the Dark shield.

Midna held out one hand, fire beginning to dance around her palm as she forged a small ball of fire. She clenched her hand, then unclenched it. The fireball grew proportionally. She launched it at Lienosus.

The dark shield weakened even more when the flame ball made contact, an explosion of fire following the contact. Using this, Link yelled out and cut through the Dark Shield, making Lienosus's arms forced to his sides.

Link brought the Golden Sword back, landing a powerful cut along Lienosus's stomach, watching black blood spew from the wound and fall onto the marble floor.

Lienosus yelped out in pain, grunting and thrusting out his hands toward Link. His hands began to glow, as an invisible attack hit Link square in the chest.

Link yelled out, stumbling as he took two steps back to regain his balance. He felt blood run down his chin as he quickly wiped it.

Midna launched another fireball, to which Lienosus dodged by jumping into the air. Teeth bared, Lienosus pointed both his hands at Midna, pure dark energy beginning to form.

Lienosus barraged a powerful attack directed at Midna. Link gasped, his eyes widening as he ran as fast as his legs could carry him infront of his Midna. He thrust out his shield infront of him, using magic to enhance it.

The energy collided with the shield, sending out a powerful shockwave that dislocated Link's right arm. He clenched his teeth and slammed his eyes shut, a loud grunt of pain escaping his clenched teeth.

Midna flinched, thinking she was going to be hit when Link dove in front of her. She felt enraged Lienosus had harmed him.

She was about to send shadow magic at Lienosus, when Lienosus rode gravity down to the floor, landing on his feet and charging at them. Lienosus held out his hand, using his dark energy to enhance his strength as he clenched it. He lashed out at Link, whom angled his body so that his right arm was between them.

The fist collided with Link's shield, causing the shoulder to relocate quite painfully. Link's eyes clenched shut with pain, before he reopened them and yelled out, thrusting his shield out to the side to deflect Lienosus's empowered hand away; making the Councilor stumble with wide eyes.

Link thrust his sword toward Lienosus, watching the golden blade plunge deep into Lienosus's abdomen.

Out of spite, Link bare his teeth and buried the sword down to the hilt inside the Councilor's stomach.

His mouth forced open, atramentous blood spewing out and landing on Link. Lienosus howled in pain, clenching his roan eyes shut as Link remained in his position. The ebony liquid slid from his stomach and soaked the bottoms of the Councilor's garb.

Midna winced slightly, taking a step back as she watched the scene; unsure if it was over or if she should prepare an attack.

Link thought it was over, and let his guard fall. However, Lienosus began to cachinnate as his right hand gripped Link's hand in a clasp, forcing Link, and the blade, to remain stationary. Link's eyes were filled with consternation as having a sword hilt-deep into your abdomen would kill most people. He began to wonder if Lienosus was even a Twili anymore, as his eyes were latched onto the crystal and pulsing veins.

Lienosus's free hand lurched out, seeming to encase in black fire. "Foolish light dweller!" Lienosus screeched.

Midna gasped, trying to ready up an attack to save Link but it proved to be in vain. Lienosus blasted Link with the black fire.

Link was flung away, forced to let go of the Golden Sword as he yelled out in pain, slamming onto the ground.

His lower body took most of the attack, as he was sure his left leg was either broken, or heavily damaged.

He rolled around, some of his clothes still burning in the onyx flame. He rolled around, writhing in pain and trying to purge himself of the fire. He was forced to let go of his shield.

Midna watched with affliction toward her hero. She looked toward Lienosus with sheer abhorrence. She was about to hit Lienosus with everything she had, but Lienosus thrust out a hand toward her. Midna felt magical binds grip her arms and legs, as she began to float in the air similar to how Zant positioned her in Lanayru's spring.

Lienosus grinned, using his other hand to force the Golden Sword from his body. He gripped it tightly, lashing out at nothing as most of his raven blood fell off the golden blade. He brought the fuller near his face, inspecting the sword. "Such an otherworldly blade... I think I'll be keeping this." He began to cachinnate once more, as he briskly walked toward Midna gripping the hilt tightly.

Link watched in horror as the deranged councilor neared his love. He tried to stagger to his feet, but his leg was in such pain. He winced each time he tried to move it. His eyes widened slightly as he thought of a plan. He could use the power of the Triforce to heal himself fully, leaving him with no magic temporarily but at his physical peak.. But that would take moments he didn't have.

But if he rushed to Midna, he'd surely die if he didn't have a plan on what to do if he reached her. But if he waited to heal himself, she'd die.

He couldn't keep thinking – Lienosus was drawing closer with each step.

He had to choose now. His first instinct was to heal himself. He was about to, when he remembered his dream.

The emptiness his elder self had. The lament.

He slammed his eyes shut and clenched his teeth – If he healed himself, the dream wouldn't be a dream anymore. It'd be a reality. A reality without Midna.

He ignored the searing pain of his leg, forcing himself to his feet as his sky eyes sparked with determination and conviction. He felt his Triforce try and heal him, but he would have to remain perfectly still. Which he wouldn't do.

Once he felt himself balance, he ran as fast as he could to get in between Lienosus and Midna; his teeth bared.

Lienosus held the Golden Sword above his head, ready to cleave Midna in two.

Link watched her expression turn to absolute despair, as she shut her eyes.

The Golden Sword was brought down, but the hero intercepted. Holding out his gauntleted left hand, the Hero watched as the golden edge slammed into his gauntlet.

Despite the wails of pain his leg shot up, he remained standing tall as he felt the Golden Sword cut through the gauntlet and into his skin. He clenched his teeth harder in pain, watching his gauntlet crack and break.

Midna, feeling no blade cut her, opened her crimson and amber eyes to see Link in front of her, with the Golden Sword cutting into his arm.

"So the hero still has some fight left in him!" Lienosus rebuked.

Lienosus pulled the Golden Sword from the hero's injured arm, taking a step back.

Link was panting hard, his leg giving out as he fell to his knee, and cradled his injured arm. He felt shards of the metal cut into his skin.

The magic holding Midna was released, as he crouched near Link, placing an arm around his shoulder as she tried to soothe him.

"Don't you cretins see? Anxia, Lunaris, Robur, and even Ordinatur tried to stand up to me." Lienosus, with the Golden Sword, motioned to the either unconscious or dead bodies of the fallen twili.

"And they failed. With this.." Lienosus said, clenching the crystal center his chest with his hand grinning with spite, "no one stands a chance. I am far more powerful than Zant and Ganondorf. I can't die!"

Lienosus pointed the tip of the Golden Sword at Link, who stared with deep hatred in his cerulean eyes at the councilor. Midna's eyes rivaled the abhorrence.

"Give up. Your hope ends here. Submit yourselves to me and I might condone what happened here if you remain my loyal servants." Lienosus smirked.

Link staggered to his feet, Midna's gaze switching to concern as she snapped back to Link and helped him up.

Link said nothing, but his azure eyes said it all. He wasn't going to give up. He continued to cradle his left arm, before he let his right fall back to his side with a clenched fist.

Midna tried to say something that would make Link sit down so that he wouldn't push his already injured body farther, but she knew he couldn't be swayed. She would just have to lead the onslaught this time to prevent Link from getting injured even more. "As if we'd bow to you!" She called out, turning her ruby gaze to Lienosus. "Just like Ganondorf and Zant before you... We will do anything within our power to defy you!"

Lienosus scoffed, letting his hand holding the sword fall back to his side as the tip tapped the marble floor littered with bodies and blood markings. With his left hand, he slicked back the copper bangs that shrouded his eyes filled with malice.

He held the Golden Sword and spread his feet slightly. "Fine then. If you're so anxious to die, I will accommodate that wish!"

Lienosus charged, Midna about to retaliate but Link held her back with his right hand, turning his cerulean gaze to hers as he forged a plan. She seemed to understand as she took a step back.

The very second Lienosus lashed out at Link with the Golden Sword. Link thrust out his left arm, ignoring the shards of metal in his skin as through the gauntlet his Triforce burned through the glove.

A translucent blue diamond encased Link, the Golden Sword's edge making contact with the azure diamond. Lienosus was bewildered.

"Nayru's Love!" Link shouted. The moment he yelled the incantation, the Golden Sword was repelled. It soared out of Lienosus's grasp, making him stumble from the force of the repel.

The Golden Sword plunged into the ground, as Nayru's Love faded.

Without a word being said, Midna seized this opportunity. Her feet tapping against the ground, she ran to Lienosus's side and held out one of her arms.

Wind began to pick up in the room, as it thinned. It began to swirl around Lienosus. His eyes wandered around his position, wondering what was going to happen until he felt something slice across his left cheek. He felt his black blood run down the skin.

Link watched as the wind began to carve Lienosus. His arms began to get cut up, along with his torso and legs. He yelled out before it could continue, thrusting out both of his arms to his sides as dark energy lashed out; dispelling the wind.

Already taking the opportunity, quite stiffly Link ran to the sword plunged halfway into the marble. Lienosus was focused on Midna.

The two were barraging the other with magical assaults, both getting injured from time to time. Midna's eyes were beginning to squint as her magic was thinning, but Lienosus was all the more stronger.

Link pried the Golden Sword from the ground, and held it with his right arm since his left was disabled. He observed the magical barraging, trying to formulate a plan. Link scanned Lienosus, checking for weak points.

His eyes widened, focused on the crystal.

_It-It's cracked! How did I not notice that before!_

It seemed simple now. All he had to do was bring about the destruction of the crystal. He wasn't too sure what it was, but he knew it was the source of Lienosus's power – The foolish twili pointed it out himself.

Midna glanced over to where Link was looking and looked at the crystal herself. The same line of thought transpired to her mind, before she noticed Lienosus attacking her once more. She swift fully dodged, catching Link's eye.

Link nodded as silent communication, and began to circle behind Lienosus as Midna drew his attention with another magical attack.

Link was in the proper position, closing his eyes and focusing his power as he took the blade from his right hand and held it in his left, ignoring the shards.

He felt the shards fall out of his arm as he focused his light energy into the Golden Sword. He was pouring everything he could muster into it.

He held it out in front of him, focusing his sapphire gaze upon the sword, watching it shine a more radiant gold as he felt the power beginning to dim in his Triforce.

Midna saw Link preparing his assault while thinking she should do the same. _"Umbra Internecionem..." _She incanted, closing her eyes and holding her hands together; massive shadow energy forming. Her hands felt a mixture of warmth and cold, feeling the energies swarm between her hands.

Lienosus watched Midna, unaware of Link behind him. Seeing the attack, Lienosus forged a shield of dark energy – an opaque circle forming around him.

Midna threw all of her strength into the attack. She yelled out, her eyes blazing with fury as she unleashed her most powerful attack.

The ball of concentrated shadow magic barraged at Lienosus. The ball made contact with the shield of dark energy, and exploded. However, Midna held out both her hands and used her remaining strength to control the explosion to increase the effect.

Lienosus watched with something he didn't quite know... Was it.. Fear?

The shield of dark energy couldn't last – It was already beginning to crack. Lienosus put more strength into the shield. It seemed to shield him of the explosion for just a tad longer.

Link seized this opportunity, gripping the Golden Sword with both hands as he charged. He kept the blade low, ready to strike.

Midna watched, feeling her strength diminish as her hero neared.

In one swift strike, Link used the empowered Golden Sword to cut straight through the explosion and the dark shield. However, the Light bonded with the Shadow energies of the explosion. Mimicking what happened to Divus, the energies formed together.

Lienosus watched with what he knew now as fear. The energies overrided his and crushed his shield – Damaging his body heavily.

However, the Councilor still stood.

Lienosus panted, looking down. His vision faded out for no longer a moment, but he knew the Crystal was still intact. But the fissure was wider.

He regained his vision and looked upward, feeling the pain of his injuries fade as he stood taller.

Link's might at the moment was impregnable. He gripped the Golden Sword with a strong grip.

_I have to break him._ Was one of his single thoughts at the moment.

Lienosus tried to cower, but Link was swift.

Letting out a grunt he stepped forward, swinging the Golden Sword in a mighty attack across Lienosus's chest, the Golden Sword creating a spark as it hit the Crystal, but it still retained its form.

Lienosus stumbled, from the sudden pain of his chest and from the force.

Link brought the blade back around, striking Lienosus's chest once more.

The crystal made an audible crack, but remained intact as Lienosus fell onto his back from the force of the slice.

This was it.

Link twirled the sword in a reverse grip.

Letting out a triumphant yell, Link leapt into the air, gripping the Golden Sword with both hands as he performed an ending blow.

This time, it was truly where this ended. Just like the quest beforehand. His training started with the Hero's Shade began with this move, and he ended his first quest with this move.

Midna watched with anxiety, wondering if this is where things would finish.

Link watched as he landed with his legs on opposite sides of Lienosus, watching his blade sink deeply into the crystal and into Lienosus's body.

Lienosus let out a wail of pure agony, gripping the blade of the Golden Sword as the golden edges cut up his hands as he tried to pry it from his chest. His roan eyes, wide with terror looked down onto the crystal plunged in his chest. He watched his veins pulse more and more, until the crystal broke and withered into oblivion.

The councilor felt all of his power drain from him, as well as life.

Lienosus's eyes soon rolled back into his head. A soft thump was heard that consisted of Lienosus's head hitting the marble floor.

Link removed his blade from the fallen twili's chest, and sheathed it. "It looks like I was right; the source of Lienosus's power was indeed the crystal..." Link turned to Midna, cradling his left arm now that the adrenaline had withered.

"Do you know what it even was?"

Midna folded her arms and thought for a moment; then shook her head. "I can't say I do. It could have been a container of power used during the Interlopers incident."

Link nodded softly. He looked at the blood markings. "I bet this is some sort of design that would steal my Triforce." He frowned, thinking about who Lienosus's must have killed to make this happen.

Then, his head snapped to attention as he looked around the room. He had heard movement and saw that Robur began to stir.

The hero, Midna in tow, hurried to the general. Midna crouched near the Twili as he sat up.

"P-Princess Midna?" He acknowledged, turning his gaze to Link. "H-Hero? If you two are present.. Am I correct in saying Lienosus has been put to an end?"

Link nodded, then turned solemn. "...Are the others alive?" Link looked around, Robur following suit; puzzled for a moment before recollection hit him.

"No.. they should wake up soon. Lienosus drew most of his power from collecting souls.. So if you destroyed the Crystal; their souls should return to their bodies. I saw Lienosus suck Ordinatur's soul straight from his body after he'd been dealt with. I was next.."

"S-so it seems." A voice spoke up, before a grunt of pain followed.

Lunaris stood up, clenching his left side as he walked stiffly toward them. "You'll have to forgive me... for not being able to stop Lienosus. We saw what he had become... far too late."

A sound of stone hitting the floor came about, as Ordinatur stood up from his crater in the wall; leaning against it. "Except me.." he spoke.

Lunaris turned a tired eye to the councilor. "You've told us already, Ordinatur. Me.. and Robur forgive you. It's the rest of the council that should be put to death."

Ordinatur shook his head solemnly. "I knew of what he was becoming.. and for a while I helped him through it. It was only until it was too late I saw what even I was doing."

Robur stood, pieces of his broken armor falling off. "Despite that, you stood with us in mortal combat. I thank you, Councilor Ordinatur."

Link sighed, then smiled slightly. "Well, it's all over now."

Lunaris limped over to Anxia, cradling the boy slightly then picking him up. "Anxia came? I thought his soul was taken."

Midna shook her head, everyone gathering around Anxia. "He tried to help us after we woke him up. Though.. he was quickly overwhelmed."

Lunaris reflected on his childhood friend, before sighing. "Dr. Koric should be waking up soon – along with the rest of the Twili in Medietas. We should sort everything out before relaxing."

* * *

_A/N: Well my friends, this story is near its close. Every book has its opening page and its ending page._

_Stay tuned for the final chapter of Tribulations of Twilight._


	12. Chapter 12

_A/N: Well, here it is. After a rewrite and a long period of time, I bring you the final chapter of Tribulations of Twilight. **The sequel is out and well into Chapter Four! If you liked this story, be sure to read its continuation 'Repentance of Twilight'!**_

**Tribulations of Twilight**

Final Chapter

Days painfully crept by; the number of which few had counted. After their souls restored, the twili sought answers. Midna gave a public announcement on the events that had came and went. Link was hailed as a Hero by many on that day, but he wasn't the only one in the spotlight.

In the stead of the deceased Cerebrum, Lunaris was promoted to High Councilor for his stand against Lienosus and his taint. He accepted the title gingerly, vowing upon the Creed of Councilmen to uphold his duties as such.

Ordinatur was trialed by the courts of Medietas for aiding Lienosus. It was soon he was exonerated, condoned for joining the fight against Lienosus despite how he helped the man. A discharge from the Councilors followed him; and upon being pardoned by Midna he was granted the right to remain as Councilor.

General Robur was hospitalized, with Link and Anxia. Midna had sustained little damage and remained with Link the whole time he was under medical care. Despite his complains that she had a kingdom to run, she just told him he'd need someone who would be there just in case he stepped on his own tail trying to limp around.

But soon, the city was back in order as well as the physical body of Link.

He received a guest room in the castle to stay.

While sitting on the overly pompous and soft bed, wearing only his shirt and pants, he thought of his life, and what he'd do now. The obvious one would be to take his title from Midna and travel. But the more daring option would be to tell Midna his feelings. After all, if she would reject him he was going to go his separate way at any rate. He figured it was now, or never.

He found a simple raiment in the room's closet and garbed himself in it. It consisted of a less-than-pompous robe with azure marks that rivaled his cerulean eyes with an orange sash. He exited the room, walking down the long corridors that lead to the Throne Room.

He felt the cloth glide against his skin with each step he took down the corridors, a soft _tap_ eminating of which his boots met the floor.

The sounds echoed in his mind, as he was cascaded deep into the recesses of his mind. He thought about what his life had come to, and how it even began.

He had no mother nor father to his recollection. A simple orphan found by Uli and Rusl, and raised by the two. Well into his early teenage years, Colin was to be born. There wasn't enough room for to boys, so the villagers came together and built a house from scratch into a tree on the slight outskirts of the village. It was to be Link's home.

Taking what little he had, he moved into the treehouse. It wasn't too spacious, but he thought it was satisfactory. Soon, he began to dwell in the housing.

The day came when Rusl taught him the ways of the sword. A rough teacher indeed, but Rusl later told stories of his sloppy footing and grip, however his eyes shone a reluctance to succumb defeat to his teacher. Link faintly smiled at the memory.

From there, days turned into months, months into years... He spent quality time with all of the villagers whom he considered his family; for he had no other family to go or return to.

Ilia passed his mind for a fleeting moment, as he reflected on his relationship with the emerald eyed girl. At first, he thought he loved her. Then, the Twilight came. During and after the ordeal, he began to see her as a sister and nothing more.

On the Twilight incident, his mind wandered to his many quests. And partnered with him, Midna.

He thought she was an extremely annoying imp at the time. The wolf even thought of ways to either kill her or leave her behind. But his patience grew; an enigma even to him as he began to tolerate her personage; and even like it.

He knew that liking turned into a deep love etched within his heart. A hand glided up his robed stomach and to his chest, as he gripped it, stopping in his steps to glance downward where his heart lie. He felt the thump of it brush his hand repeatedly.

Memories of them together flew through his mind... and settled upon an event that made him furious.

Ganondorf, perched upon his black horse, held up her fused shadow like a Trophy. And before his sapphire eyes, crushed it; signifying her death.

Link wanted nothing more at that moment but the man's beating heart in his grip to show the thief how coal-like it was. He left behind his wit, and let his hands be guided by his raging anger and hurt. Somehow through all of that, he won.

The bearer of the Triforce of Courage resumed his walking pace.

He remembered the immediate relief, and how strong his love had grown once he saw her in her true beauty; at coincidentally, the hour of twilight.

He remembered the events that followed. The ultimate destruction of the Mirror of Twilight Midna had warned him about who knows when at the Temple of Time.

He remembered. Remembered the sheer anguish he felt. The sadness, despair, and remorse. Suicide crossed his dazed mind many times through his struggle. Then, he found a small pillar of strength – A desire to protect her. Protect her from what Zeke said would come.

And now, there he was. Standing before the great doors of the throne room. Placing his hand upon the door, it began to glow cyan as it raised itself. He entered the room, his sapphire eyes fixated upon the ruler of the twili herself.

Midna was surprised, to say the least at why Link had come when he should have been resting; being released not too long ago.

"Shouldn't you be on your bed licking your wounds, Wolf Boy?" She asked, smirking as she rested her head on her hands and leaned forward slightly. Her crimson eyes portrayed her playfulness.

His lips twitched, wanting to form a smile but he had to remain serious. Despite his want to reply with a snide comment of his own, he had to gather his thoughts.

Midna's smirk lost its edge, as she slightly raised an eyebrow as the hero approached. Was he going to ask for his title and leave her behind? Taking a breath, she straightened herself in her seat.

He stopped, a foot from the throne, lowering his eyes from her crimson. He looked to the floor, before taking a knee. If he was going to leave, he was going to do it formally. The guards standing near the exit watched the scene.

He felt Midna's questioning eyes upon him, as he cleared his throat. "I... can't bear the day when you take up a suitor, Midna." He began slowly.

Midna's mind was thrown into skew at the statement. She knew she couldn't remain a princess upon the throne and had to take a suitor to make her queen. However, she wasn't mentally prepared for that step just yet. Yet, her mind wondered about his words and their meaning.

"Which is why.. I want to tell you this." Link resumed, gathering his nerve as his focus was on the ground as he knelt before the Twilight Princess. Suddenly, the floor seemed interesting. Midna's ears perked as she waited, leaning in slightly.

His lips formed silent words, as he realized he wasn't making any sounds. Luckily at the tilt his head was at the floor, Midna didn't catch his lips moving.

Gritting his teeth, his head lashed up and stared her directly in the eye. In the cerulean depths that rivaled each ocean and sky, emotions were seen. Ranging from affection, admiration, and a deep, earnest love. He was going to do this.

"Midna, I love you." He finally said, each emotion he felt making themselves known in his voice.

Silently, the guards crept toward the door and left the two to themselves.

"You have no idea what happened to me after you broke the mirror." His eyes dulled slightly, recalling what he could of the hazy events. Still upon his knees, he threw his arms around her abdomen, burying his face into her stomach. "I trained for four long years – Trained until I dropped to make sure nothing would happen..." He didn't end the sentence, as his face was buried in her abdomen and his eyes clenched shut tightly.

Midna was in shock of the moment. He listened to the words and emotions they conveyed. She herself recalled to what came after the mirror being broken. A recollection of sleepless, tear-filled nights struck her mind. She latched onto Link, afraid to let go as she made him stand.

Link opened his eyes at the abruptness of which Midna pulled him to his feet. His visage caught hers. His eyes were deeply locked with hers, as her eyes to his. "I'll be damned if I'm going to let you go, my wolf." With that, she clamped her eyes shut and forced her purple lips onto his. Link blinked once or twice, before realizing that was her way of returning his feelings. He began to kiss back slowly, wrapping his arms around her in a better embrace.

Even after they pulled away, their eyes were still interlocked. Afraid if they tore their gaze away, the other would disappear in their arms. True to her word, she wasn't going to let him go. She latched onto him like a cat; claws an all. He didn't really care though, content she was in his arms. She planted her head on his chest, listening to his rapid heartbeat as he rested his head upon hers.

Despite the moment, a thought retreated into Midna's mind. She pulled away slightly, looking into his sharp eyes.

"We're going to need an heir to our throne."


End file.
